Emily Haines

Early life and artistic foundations

Emily Savitri Haines was born on 25 January 1974 in New Delhi, India, and was raised in Fenelon Falls, Ontario. She holds dual citizenship of Canada and the United States, as both of her parents were American-born. Her father was the Canadian poet Paul Haines, and her mother, Jo Hayward-Haines, was an activist who founded a school for underprivileged children in India. Her middle name, Savitri, is derived from Sri Aurobindo's epic poem Savitri: A Legend and a Symbol, reflecting the literary environment of her upbringing. Her sister is Canadian television journalist Avery Haines, and her brother is Tim Haines, the owner of Bluestreak Records in Peterborough, Ontario. Growing up in a household steeped in experimental art and music, her early influences included avant-garde artists like Carla Bley and Robert Wyatt, as well as alternative rock icon PJ Harvey. She attended the Etobicoke School of the Arts in Toronto, where she studied drama and formed her first band with classmate Amy Millan, who would later be a collaborator in Broken Social Scene. Haines also met Kevin Drew at the school, who would co-found Broken Social Scene, setting the stage for her future in the collaborative Toronto music scene. She pursued post-secondary studies at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver from 1992 to 1993 and later at Concordia University in Montreal from 1995 to 1996. In 1996, she self-released a limited-edition album of early material titled Cut in Half and Also Double, which captured songs written during her student years and marked her first official foray into recording.

Formation and evolution of Metric

Emily Haines's musical career took a definitive turn in 1997 when she met guitarist and producer James Shaw in Toronto. The pair began performing as a duo called Mainstream, releasing a self-titled EP under that name. They soon changed their band's name to Metric, inspired by a sound program on Shaw's keyboard, a decision that would define their identity. The lineup solidified in 2001 with the addition of bassist Joshua Winstead and drummer Joules Scott-Key, creating the stable four-piece that would drive the band's success. Metric built a reputation through relentless touring and a dynamic live show, leading to the release of their official debut album, Old World Underground, Where Are You Now?, in 2003. Their second album, Live It Out, followed in 2005 and was nominated for the Polaris Music Prize, increasing their profile in Canada and internationally. The band achieved mainstream breakthrough and critical acclaim with their fourth album, Fantasies, in 2009, which spawned the hit single Help I'm Alive and won the Juno Award for Alternative Album of the Year. This success was cemented by subsequent albums like Synthetica in 2012, which also won the Juno Award for Alternative Album of the Year and included collaborations with Lou Reed. As of 2026, Metric has released ten studio albums, demonstrating consistent artistic evolution and a willingness to experiment with different sounds, from the synth-pop of Pagans in Vegas (2015) to the expansive rock of the Formentera albums. Prior to the recording of Fantasies, Haines traveled to Argentina to write new material, seeking isolation and inspiration away from her usual environment, and she developed friendships with musicians Lou Reed and Laurie Anderson during this period of her career.

Metric's studio album discography

Metric has released ten studio albums as of 2026. Their first album was Old World Underground, Where Are You Now? released in 2003. This was followed by Live It Out in 2005 and Grow Up and Blow Away in 2007, though Grow Up and Blow Away was actually recorded in 2001. Later albums include Fantasies from 2009, Synthetica from 2012, Pagans in Vegas from 2015, Art of Doubt from 2018, Formentera from 2022, Formentera II from 2023, and Romanticize The Dive from 2026.

• Old World Underground, Where Are You Now? (2003), The band's official debut, introducing their post-punk and new wave influenced sound.
• Live It Out (2005), A harder-edged rock album that earned a Polaris Music Prize nomination.
• Grow Up and Blow Away (2007), Recorded in 2001 but shelved and later released, featuring their earliest material as a full band.
• Fantasies (2009), The commercial and critical breakthrough, featuring the singles Help I'm Alive and Gold Guns Girls.
• Synthetica (2012), A thematic album exploring artificiality and authenticity, featuring the track Youth Without Youth.
• Pagans in Vegas (2015), An album leaning heavily into synthesizers and electronic music textures.
• Art of Doubt (2018), A return to guitar-driven rock, produced by Justin Meldal-Johnsen.
• Formentera (2022), The first part of a diptych, noted for its longer, more progressive song structures.
• Formentera II (2023), The companion piece released the following year, completing the conceptual project.
• Romanticize The Dive (2026), The band's most recent album, continuing their exploration of modern rock.

Solo work as Emily Haines & The Soft Skeleton

Parallel to her work with Metric, Emily Haines has pursued a more intimate and contemplative solo project under the name Emily Haines & The Soft Skeleton. This outlet allows her to explore piano-based, lyrically dense songs that contrast with Metric's rock energy, often dealing with themes of grief and introspection. Her debut solo album, Knives Don't Have Your Back, was released in 2006 and charted at number 28 in Canada, establishing her solo voice. It featured the singles Our Hell and Doctor Blind, both of which received music videos to promote the album. The 2007 EP What Is Free to a Good Home? was directly inspired by the death of her father, poet Paul Haines, and served as a companion piece to the full-length album. A decade later, she released her second solo album, Choir of the Mind, in September 2017, which was recorded a year earlier in Toronto and released by Last Gang Records and eOne (Entertainment One). The album debuted at number 42 on the Canadian charts and was preceded by the lead single Fatal Gift, released on 9 June 2017. In support of these releases, Haines undertook North American tours in January 2007 and again in late 2017, often with fellow musician and longtime friend Amy Millan as her opening act. Her solo performances are characterized by a stark, powerful stage presence focused on voice and piano, a deliberate shift from the full-band spectacle of Metric, and she has produced music videos for solo tracks including Planets and Legend of the Wild Horse.

Collaborations and Broken Social Scene

She performed on the collective's 2017 album Hug of Thunder and appeared with them on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on 30 March 2017, bringing their sound to a national American audience. A poignant moment in her tenure with the group occurred in May 2017 when, the night after the Manchester Arena bombing at an Ariana Grande concert, Broken Social Scene performed in Manchester. Haines has credited former The Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr with providing the crucial support that enabled the show to go on. Beyond this core collaboration, Haines's distinctive voice has graced recordings by a wide array of Canadian and international artists, making her one of the most sought-after guest vocalists in indie and electronic music. Her guest vocals appear on tracks by Stars, Jason Collett, k-os, The Stills, KC Accidental, and the ethereal wave group Delerium. She has also collaborated with electronic acts like Tiësto, The Crystal Method, and Canadian producer Rezz, as well as composer Todor Kobakov. Her film work includes performing on the soundtrack for the 2010 film This Movie Is Broken with Broken Social Scene and a voice acting role, providing singing vocals for the character Envy Adams in the 2023 animated series Scott Pilgrim Takes Off. She has also made cameo appearances in music videos for artists like k-os in Man I Used to Be, The Stills in Love and Death, Julian Plenti in Games For Days, and Jason Collett in Fire.

Musical style, instruments, and vocal approach

Emily Haines is recognized for her clear, penetrating soprano vocal range and her sophisticated, often synth-driven songwriting that blends new wave, post-punk, and indie rock influences. Lyrically, her work frequently interrogates the pressures of contemporary life, technology, and personal identity, delivering sharp observations with poetic precision. In performance with Metric, her stage presence is dynamic and commanding, centred around her use of synthesizers which form the melodic and textural backbone of their music. Her primary synthesizer has long been a Sequential Circuits Pro-One, an analog instrument she has used since Metric's inception and which contributes to their signature sound. Over the years, her secondary keyboard has evolved from a Kawai MP9000 to an E-mu PK-6 Proteus Keys in 2003, and finally to a Clavia Nord Wave, which she adopted in 2012 for its versatility and modern capabilities. For her solo performances as Emily Haines & The Soft Skeleton, the piano becomes the focal instrument, creating a more subdued and atmospheric sound that highlights the nuance of her lyrics and vocal delivery. She is also proficient on the tambourine, electric guitar, and harmonica, which she incorporates into recordings and live shows to add colour and rhythm. This technical proficiency across multiple instruments allows her to shape the sonic character of both her band and solo projects with a high degree of personal control and artistic intention.

Other projects, advocacy, and commercial ventures

Beyond music, Emily Haines has engaged in various creative and philanthropic ventures that align with her artistic values and public persona. In August 2013, she partnered with FLEET4HEARme, a collaboration between Fleet Jewelry and the HearMe organization, which works to increase children's access to music programs in public schools, a cause close to her experience with arts education. She has also been actively involved with the international advocacy organization Global Citizen, specifically supporting its #SheDecides campaign focused on girls' and women's rights and bodily autonomy. In the fashion and design world, she customized a classic black motorcycle-style leather jacket for the Canadian outerwear brand Rudsak in September 2015, featuring lyrics from the Metric song The Governess on the back, merging music and fashion. Demonstrating an interest in scent as an art form, Haines partnered with House of Matriarch High Perfumery in 2017 to create her own fragrance, named Siren, extending her artistic expression into a new sensory medium. Her friendship with musicians Lou Reed and Laurie Anderson, which developed prior to Reed's death in 2013, also illustrates her connections within a wider circle of avant-garde artists who influence and appreciate her work across different disciplines and creative pursuits.

Discography and chart performance

Emily Haines has released solo singles under the name Emily Haines & The Soft Skeleton. These singles include Doctor Blind and Our Hell from the 2006 album Knives Don't Have Your Back. She also released the single Fatal Gift on 9 June 2017 from her 2017 album Choir of the Mind. Another single is Statuette. Music videos were produced for Doctor Blind, Our Hell, and Fatal Gift. Additional music videos for her solo work include Planets and Legend of the Wild Horse.

Questions about Emily Haines

What is Emily Haines's connection to Broken Social Scene?

Emily Haines is a longstanding member of the Toronto-based musical collective Broken Social Scene. She met one of the group's co-founders, Kevin Drew, while they were students at the Etobicoke School of the Arts. Haines has contributed vocals to several of the collective's albums and performed with them live, including on their 2017 album Hug of Thunder and a televised appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on 30 March 2017. Her involvement is a key part of the interconnected network of artists that defines the Canadian indie rock scene, and she was with the band in Manchester, England, following the 2017 terror attack, an experience she has discussed publicly.

How many albums has Metric released?

As of 2026, the rock band Metric has released ten studio albums. Their discography began with Old World Underground, Where Are You Now? in 2003 and includes notable albums such as Fantasies (2009), Synthetica (2012), Art of Doubt (2018), and the diptych Formentera (2022) and Formentera II (2023). Their most recent album is Romanticize The Dive, released in 2026. The album Grow Up and Blow Away was recorded in 2001 but received an official release in 2007, making it part of their catalog despite its earlier creation date.

What are Emily Haines's most famous songs?

With Metric, Emily Haines is known for songs like Dead Disco, which was featured in the 2004 film Clean. She is also known for the song Help I'm Alive from the 2009 Metric album Fantasies. From her solo work as Emily Haines & The Soft Skeleton, notable songs include Doctor Blind and Our Hell from the 2006 album Knives Don't Have Your Back. Another notable solo song is Fatal Gift from her 2017 album Choir of the Mind.

What instruments does Emily Haines play?

Emily Haines is primarily a vocalist and keyboardist. When performing with Metric, her main instrument is a Sequential Circuits Pro-One synthesizer, which she has used since the band's early days. She also uses a Clavia Nord Wave synthesizer, adopted in 2012, having previously used a Kawai MP9000 and an E-mu PK-6 Proteus Keys. For her solo performances, she primarily plays the piano. She can play the tambourine, electric guitar, and harmonica during live shows and recordings, adding rhythmic and melodic layers to the music.

Has Emily Haines done any acting or voice work?

Yes, Emily Haines has made several appearances in film and television, usually in musical contexts. She appeared as herself with Metric in the 2004 drama film Clean, performing Dead Disco and having a minor speaking role. She also performed with Broken Social Scene for the soundtrack and film This Movie Is Broken in 2010. In 2023, she provided the singing voice for the character Envy Adams in the second episode of the animated series Scott Pilgrim Takes Off. She has also made cameo appearances in music videos for artists like k-os in Man I Used to Be and The Stills in Love and Death.

What philanthropic work is Emily Haines involved with?

Emily Haines supports several charitable and advocacy initiatives. She has been involved with the FLEET4HEARme project, a 2013 collaboration between Fleet Jewelry and the HearMe organization, which aimed to increase access to music programs for children in public schools. She is also a supporter of the international organization Global Citizen, particularly its #SheDecides campaign focused on the rights of girls and women. Through these efforts, she uses her public platform to advocate for arts education and gender equality, aligning her activism with her personal and artistic values.

Sources and further reading

• Emily Haines (Wikipedia)
• Emily Haines on commitment (thecreativeindependent.com)

Checked by the Yadude Books desk. Last updated 2026-11-06.