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Rêve (singer)

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Rêve
Rêve performing in 2024
Rêve performing in 2024
Background information
Born
Briannah Charlie Donolo
OriginMontreal, Quebec, Canada[1]
GenresElectronic
Years active2021–present
Labels31 East, Universal Music Canada

Briannah Charlie Donolo,[2] known professionally as Rêve, is a Canadian singer and songwriter. She is best known for her singles "Ctrl + Alt + Del", which won the 2023 Juno Award for Dance Recording of the Year and was certified Double Platinum in Canada,[3] and "Whitney", which topped the US Dance radio chart.[4] Her debut studio album Saturn Return received a Juno nomination for Pop Album of the Year. Her second studio album, Delusions of Grandeur, is scheduled for release in 2026.[5][6]

Early life

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Rêve was born Briannah Charlie Donolo and raised in Montreal, Quebec. She speaks both English and French.[4] Her father is Italian. She has enjoyed music since a young age. When she was three years old, she tried matching the notes from a real piano on her Fisher-Price toy piano.[7]

She first gained attention for singing both the American and Canadian national anthems before a Boston Bruins-Montreal Canadiens hockey game on 13 November 2014.[8][9] Her performance attracted attention on social media, as it gave the American anthem a "pop sound". She was contacted by TMZ after the video of her performance earned 100,000 views on YouTube.[10] She later sang both national anthems at a Toronto Blue Jays exhibition baseball game at Montreal Olympic Stadium in 2016, causing a similar buzz in the media.[11]

Despite early interest from labels and managers, she chose to continue developing her sound independently.[12] She spent nearly a decade travelling between Montreal and Toronto to record music and submit it to record labels. During this period, she worked as a wedding singer, performing at more than 600 weddings.[13] Donolo later moved to Toronto to develop her music career,[7] supporting herself by working as a scriptwriter for a pornography website.[14]

Career

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2021–2022: Major-label debut and breakthrough with "CTRL + ALT + DEL"

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Rêve signed with Universal Music Canada and Astralwerks through Banx & Ranx's label, 31 East.[4][15] Her major-label debut single, "Still Dancing", was released on June 22, 2021.[15] Her second single, "Skin 2 Skin", followed in August 2021, built around an interpolation from the band Chicago that is also featured in the 1995 dance song "The Bomb! (These Sounds Fall into My Mind)" by The Bucketheads.[16] Both songs later appeared on her debut EP, Layover, released February 25, 2022.[17]

"Ctrl + Alt + Del", released on September 17, 2021 and produced by Banx & Ranx, became her breakthrough single.[16] The song charted on the Canadian Hot 100 for 29 weeks, peaking at number 38.[18] It was also featured in the video game FIFA 22,[19] and was later certified Double Platinum in Canada.[3] The song additionally topped the US TikTok Electronic chart.[20] Her Banx & Ranx collaboration "Headphones" was released on March 25, 2022 and became her second Canadian Hot 100 entry, peaking at number 49.[18] It was later certified Platinum in the country.[3]

Rêve won the Dance Music Award at the 2022 SOCAN Awards for "Ctrl + Alt + Del".[21] On June 29, 2022, she released "Tongue" as the second single from her upcoming debut album. "Whitney" was released on October 7, 2022 as the third single, and features an interpolation of Whitney Houston's 1993 cover of "I'm Every Woman". "Whitney" became her highest-charting single on the Canadian Hot 100, peaking at number 29 and spending 22 weeks on the chart.[18] The song also topped the US Dance radio chart while peaking at number 5 on the Canadian radio chart.[4] It was later certified Gold in the country.[3] "Hypersexual" followed as the fourth single on December 2, 2022.

2023–2024: Saturn Return

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At the 2023 Juno Awards, Rêve was nominated for Breakthrough Artist of the Year, the Juno Fan Choice Award, and won Dance Recording of the Year for "Ctrl + Alt + Del".[22] At the 2023 SOCAN Awards, she won the Breakthrough Award, ex-aequo with Jay Scøtt. She released "Big Boom" and "Contemporary Love" as the fifth and sixth singles from her debut album. The latter peaked at number 77 on the Canadian Hot 100[18] and at number 11 on the Canadian CHR/Top 40 chart.[4] She announced her debut studio album, Saturn Return, for an October 20, 2023 release, and preceded by the promotional single "Breaking Up With Jesus".

Saturn Return was released on October 20, 2023.[23] The 13-track album was produced largely by Banx & Ranx, with additional production from Carl Ryden, Joel Stouffer and Mike Wise. Its title refers to the astrological concept of a "saturn return", associated with a period of major life reassessment in one's late twenties. The album earned Rêve a Juno nomination for Pop Album of the Year at the 2024 Juno Awards, with producer Joel Stouffer also nominated for Producer of the Year for the tracks "Breaking Up With Jesus" and "Whitney".[24] Elsewhere, she participated in an all-star recording of Serena Ryder's single "What I Wouldn't Do", which was released as a charity single to benefit Kids Help Phone's Feel Out Loud campaign for youth mental health.[25]

In 2023, Rêve appeared as herself in the second season of Crave comedy series Shoresy. She also appeared as a guest judge on the fourth season of Canada's Drag Race.[26] In November, she announced the Saturn ReTour, her first headlining tour, running through March 2024 across the Canadian cities Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Montreal, Toronto and Waterloo.

At the 2024 SOCAN Awards, Rêve received a Pop Music Award nomination for "Whitney".[27] Her song "Ctrl + Alt + Del" was additionally nominated for a Dance Award at the 2024 Hollywood Independent Music Awards.[28]

2025–2026: Departure from Universal Music Canada, Delusions of Grandeur

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Rêve released "Dancing in a Dream", a collaboration with Felix Cartal, on April 11, 2025, reaching number 97 on the Canadian Hot 100 and spending 4 non-consecutive weeks on the chart.[18]

On May 1, 2026, she announced her sophomore studio album, Delusions of Grandeur, revealing that she had left Universal Music Canada to work as an independent artist. The lead single, "Devour", was released on June 26, 2026.[6]

Influences

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In an interview with MTV UK, Rêve named Kaytranada, Robyn, Rüfüs du Sol, Madonna, and SG Lewis as her "ever-changing" musical influences.[1] She has also named Tove Lo, Lady Gaga, and Whitney Houston, the latter of whom inspired her single "Whitney".[29]

Awards and nominations

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Year Award Category Work Result
2022 SOCAN Awards Dance Music Award "Ctrl + Alt + Del" Won[30]
2023 Breakthrough Award Rêve Won
2024 Pop Music Award "Whitney" Nominated[31]
2023 Juno Awards Breakthrough Artist of the Year Rêve Nominated[32]
Fan Choice Rêve Nominated[33]
Dance Recording of the Year "Ctrl + Alt + Del" Won[34]
2024 Pop Album of the Year Saturn Return Nominated
2024 Hollywood Independent Music Awards Dance Award "Ctrl + Alt + Del" Nominated[35]

Discography

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Studio albums

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Title Album details
Saturn Return
Delusions of Grandeur
  • Released: 2026
  • Labels: Physical Presents
  • Format: CD, LP, digital download, streaming

Extended plays

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Title EP details
Layover
  • Released: 25 February 2022[37]
  • Labels: 31 East, Universal Music Canada
  • Format: Digital download

Singles

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Title Year Peak chart positions Certifications Album
CAN
[38]		 US Dance Air.
[39]
"Still Dancing" 2021 — — Layover
"Skin 2 Skin" — —
"Ctrl + Alt + Del" 38 — Layover and Saturn Return
"Layover" 2022 — — Layover
"Headphones"[41]
(with Banx & Ranx)		 49 — Non-album singles
"All Night & Every Day"
(with Jonasu)		 — —
"Tongue" — — Saturn Return
"Meat"
(with Comanavago)		 — — Non-album single
"Whitney"[42] 29 7 Saturn Return
"Hypersexual" — —
"Big Boom"[43] 2023 — —
"Contemporary Love" 77 —
"Breaking Up with Jesus" — —
"Red Rover" 2024 — — TBA
"Dancing in a Dream"[44]
(with Felix Cartal)		 2025 97 — I, Sabotage
"Devour" 2026 — — Delusions of Grandeur
"—" denotes single that did not chart.

Appears on

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References

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  1. 1 2 "Get To Know: Rêve". MTV UK. 24 February 2022. Retrieved 1 March 2022.
  2. ↑ "BIG BOOM". ascap.com. American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Gold/Platinum". Music Canada. 15 February 2022. Retrieved 21 February 2022.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 "RÊVE DROPS SPECIAL FRENCH VERSION OF TITLE TRACK "SATURN RETURN", OUT NOW". Universal Music Canada. 15 December 2023. Retrieved 24 July 2026.
  5. ↑ "Rêve". Departure. Retrieved 24 July 2026.
  6. 1 2 "Rêve Returns with Euphoric New Single 'Devour' Ahead of Second Album - Culture Fix". 29 June 2026. Retrieved 24 July 2026.
  7. 1 2 "UMUSIC Exclusive: 1 on 1 with Rêve". UMusic.ca. Universal Music Canada. 1 September 2021. Archived from the original on 18 September 2021. Retrieved 21 February 2022.
  8. ↑ Bélanger, Cédric (14 February 2022). "Briannah Donolo poursuit son rêve". Le Journal de Québec (in French). Quebec City. Retrieved 22 February 2022.
  9. ↑ QMI Agency (14 November 2014). "Habs' anthem singer Briannah Donolo could be next big thing". The Toronto Sun. Retrieved 21 February 2022.
  10. ↑ Poupart, Marie (26 November 2014). "Briannah Donolo "La beauté disparaît avec le temps, mais pas le talent"". Le Journal de Montreal (in French). Retrieved 21 February 2022.
  11. ↑ "Une chanteuse enflamme Les Réseaux Sociaux". TVA Sports (in French). 2 April 2016. Retrieved 22 February 2022.
  12. ↑ Rodriguez, Krystal (7 March 2023). "Rêve Has a Flurry of Red-Hot Singles & Three Juno Nominations: Behind One of the Fastest-Rising Artists in Dance". Billboard. Retrieved 24 July 2026.
  13. ↑ Larochelle, Samuel (7 August 2023). "Fierté Montréal: Rêve, la prochaine superstar mondiale venue d'ici ?". La Presse (in Canadian French). Retrieved 24 July 2026.
  14. ↑ "INTRODUCING RÊVE:". Universal Music Canada. 22 June 2021. Retrieved 24 July 2026.
  15. 1 2 "Rêve Is Still Dancing, An Escape To Enjoy Life Again". Enspire. 3 July 2021. Retrieved 18 May 2022.
  16. 1 2 "Rêve Returns With a New Stunning Single "CTRL + ALT + DEL"". Out Now. 19 September 2021. Retrieved 24 February 2022.
  17. ↑ Rêve - Layover, 25 February 2022, retrieved 24 July 2026
  18. 1 2 3 4 5 "Reve - Music Charts". acharts.co. Retrieved 24 July 2026.
  19. ↑ "Rêve Is This Month's 'One to Watch' Artist". Kiss 92.5. 6 October 2021. Retrieved 18 May 2022.
  20. ↑ "RÊVE DÉVOILE SON NOUVEAU TITRE, « LAYOVER »". Universal Music Canada. 25 February 2022. Retrieved 24 July 2026.
  21. ↑ "2022 Award Winners • 2022 SOCAN Awards". 2022 SOCAN Awards. Archived from the original on 29 January 2023. Retrieved 24 July 2026.
  22. ↑ "Here are all the 2023 Juno nominees". CBC Music, 31 January 2023.
  23. ↑ "RÊVE ANNOUNCES DEBUT ALBUM, SATURN RETURN, SET TO RELEASE OCTOBER 20". Umusic. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
  24. ↑ "Here are all the 2024 Juno nominees". CBC Music, February 6, 2024.
  25. ↑ Brent Furdyk, "Feel Out Loud: Alessia Cara, Serena Ryder & More Canadian Artists Collaborate On New Single Promoting Youth Mental Health Initiative". Entertainment Tonight Canada, 2 March 2023.
  26. ↑ "Nelly Furtado, Luann de Lesseps among 'Canada's Drag Race' S4 guest judges - UPI.com". UPI. Retrieved 1 November 2023.
  27. ↑ "2024 Award Winners • 2024 SOCAN Awards". 2024 SOCAN Awards. Archived from the original on 4 October 2024. Retrieved 24 July 2026.
  28. ↑ "2024 Nominations Table | Hollywood Independent Music Awards". Retrieved 24 July 2026.
  29. ↑ Vaillancourt, Julie (30 July 2023). "Rêver grand, en dansant". Fugues (in Canadian French). Retrieved 24 July 2026.
  30. ↑ "2022 Award Winners". SOCAN Awards. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
  31. ↑ "2024 Award Winners • 2024 SOCAN Awards". 2024 SOCAN Awards. Archived from the original on 4 October 2024. Retrieved 24 July 2026.
  32. ↑ "2023 Awards Winners". CBC. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
  33. ↑ "2023 Awards Winners". CBC. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
  34. ↑ Jenna Benchetrit and Arti Patel, "The Weeknd picks up 4 wins on Junos 2023 opening night". CBC News, 11 March 2023.
  35. ↑ "2024 Nominations Table | Hollywood Independent Music Awards". Retrieved 24 July 2026.
  36. ↑ "Saturn Return by Rêve". Apple Music. Retrieved 6 August 2023.
  37. ↑ "2023 Juno Awards". CBC. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
  38. ↑ Peak chart positions for singles in Canada:
  39. ↑ Peak chart positions for singles on US Dance Airplay chart:
  40. 1 2 3 "Canadian certifications – Rêve". Music Canada. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
  41. ↑ "Headphones – Single by Banx & Ranx & Rêve". Apple Music. Retrieved 1 April 2022.
  42. ↑ "Whitney – Single by Rêve". Apple Music. Retrieved 16 October 2022.
  43. ↑ "Big Boom – Single by Rêve". Apple Music. Retrieved 4 June 2023.
  44. ↑ "Dancing in a Dream - Single by Felix Cartal & Rêve on Apple Music". Apple Music. 11 April 2025. Retrieved 23 April 2025.
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