Born to a family grappling with poverty in Timmins, Ontario, she had a tough start to her life. Her stepfather’s low-paying reforestation job and her mother’s depression made things even harder. She was just one of five children and had to learn early on to do without.

She began to sing in bars and perform; however, soon, she would have a lot more responsibility on her shoulders than just having some gigs every now and then. Soon she was left to be responsible for her siblings.

Since her family always struggled with money, she knew how to be without even essentials such as food, heating, and electricity.She realized her life was different to that of her classmates when she would be without lunch and look at her peers during lunch, hoping they would leave some of their food uneaten so she could take it.The young girl would usually tell her teacher that she had left her lunch in her locker or at home. She began to focus on music as a way to escape the harsh realities of her life.