Peterborough's Irish Millie on Canadian & Ontario folk music award recognition

A 19-year-old Canadian fiddler continues to make waves on the national folk scene, with Irish Millie earning a Canadian Folk Music Award nomination for Single of the Year and recognition as a nominee for Folk Music Ontario’s 2025 Performing Artist of the Year.

SWOMP caught up with Millie to discuss the recognition.

Millie received the Single of the Year nomination for “You Were There,” a standout track from her EP Between Then and Now. The honour marks her seventh Canadian Folk Music Award nomination and her fifth consecutive nod for Young Performer of the Year, a category in which she has been recognized every year since releasing her debut album Thirteen in 2021.

The Peterborough native released Between Then and Now on July 6, 2025, via LaunchPad Records. The four-track EP highlights her continued artistic growth, blending East Coast fiddle drive, bluegrass energy, and contemporary traditional influences. “You Were There,” co-written with Matthew Cicciarella, features Millie on fiddle and vocals alongside Cicciarella on guitar, with additional electric guitar and string arrangements by producer Tyler Martin.

Produced by Martin at Electric Alchemy and mastered by Gregory Pastic, the single showcases Millie’s ability to craft emotionally resonant songs that respect folk traditions while exploring new textures. Other tracks on the EP, including “Allison,” “Mystery to Me,” and “WASTED,” further demonstrate her range, from stripped-down fiddle-and-guitar arrangements to fuller productions incorporating piano and drums.

A multi-instrumentalist who performs on fiddle, vocals, piano, guitar, and foot percussion, Millie has built a distinctive sound that has resonated with audiences across Canada, the United States, and Europe. Her previous album GRACE drew praise from Celtic music standouts Natalie MacMaster and Donnell Leahy, who described it as “fresh, lively… cool tunes and great playing.” FolkWorld Magazine’s Alex Monaghan has highlighted the passion and energy at the heart of her music, citing its sense of fun, fire, and feeling.

Millie recently wrapped up her second East Coast Holiday Tour with long-time collaborator Luka Hall, performing a series of intimate Ontario shows between late December and early January. The annual holiday run has become a growing tradition, pairing Millie’s Celtic folk fiddle style with Hall’s acoustic songwriting and emphasizing storytelling, collaboration, and audience participation.

A past Peterborough Folk Festival Emerging Artist of the Year and recipient of the Peterborough Civic Award for Community Betterment for her “Fiddling for Fox” campaign, Millie is currently studying Music Industry and Technology at the University of Toronto while continuing to tour and record. She is supported on stage by her father, Murray Shadgett, on guitar. Planning is underway for a broader tour in July 2026, with dates expected across Ontario, Quebec, and Atlantic Canada.

Follow her at https://irishmillie.ca/.

Photo credit: Mary Payne