Photo: Gabriel Thaine
Bio
From Lethbridge, Alberta, Makiisma is a violin-led alt-folk force whose music moves between intimacy and intensity. Led by songwriter, violinist, and vocalist Megan Brown, the trio blends haunting vocals, soulful violin, and heavy, riff-driven arrangements into songs shaped by unexpected harmonic turns and dramatic dynamic shifts. Rooted in classical training yet fueled by a love for raw, expressive music, Makiisma describes her sound as a marriage of doom-folk and alt-rock, defined by shadowy beauty and emotional weight.
Brown began playing violin at the age of three and was classically trained from a young age, developing a deep relationship with the instrument long before turning to songwriting. In 2017, a simple challenge from a friend, “I bet you can write a song,” sparked the creation of Makiisma. After years of performing and touring as a violinist and vocalist with various bands, Brown brought a seasoned musical voice to her own work.
Her debut album Lady Misery (2020) introduced audiences to her brooding, folk-rooted intensity. The loss of her mother that same year shaped Brown’s creative growth and informs the emotional depth of her second release, The Heart Remains (2025), a more rock-forward expansion of her sound.
The Heart Remains
Available NoW!
Makiisma’s new album, The Heart Remains, became available everywhere this Friday, June 20th.
The album artwork holds special meaning—it was created by the incredibly talented Amy Arsene using a photo of Makiisma’s mother, taken by her father. The goal was to evoke the feeling of a storybook page, reminiscent of old Disney films that blended real life with animation—something magical, timeless, and steeped in memory.
The Heart Remains is dedicated to Makiisma’s mother, who passed away in 2020. The album is a collection of songs that capture fleeting moments in time: falling in and out of love, navigating grief, and gradually rediscovering hope. Two songs in particular—“The Heart Remains” and “The Wait”—were written during the depths of her grief, as she searched for a path forward in the wake of profound loss.
Listen to “the heart remains”
Whoop-Up Days 2024, Lethbridge
Photo: Bleu Baker
About “Lady Misery”
Makiisma set to celebrate debut album ‘Lady Misery’ - Lethbridge Herald
‘Lady Misery’ is the debut album of Makiisma released in March 2020.
Performed by:
Megan Brown (Guitar, Vox, Violin, & Viola) T.J. Waltho (Keys) Steve Martin (Bass) Keenan Pezderic (Drums) Jon Martin (lead guitar, percussion)
Producer / Mix - Jon Martin
Master - Ronan Chris Murphy
Album Photo - Bleu Baker
Album Design - Steven William Foord
About “The Heart Remains”
performed by:
Megan Brown (Guitar, Vox, Violin, & Viola) T.J. Waltho (Keys) kieran swinney (Bass) isaac neufeld (Drums) tyler eresman (lead guitar)
produced by taylor ackerman at space is the place in Lethbridge, AB
Mastered by Sage Kim at Lacquer Channel mastering in Toronto, ON
Front album photo: Douglas Brown
Album Art: Amy Arsene
Back Album Photo: Gabriel Thaine
Album Design: Beau Johansen
The Heart Remains Tour 2025
📍 June 21 – Album Release Show at Owl Acoustic Lounge, Lethbridge
📍 June 28 – Beaver Fever Fest, Beaver Mines
📍 July 1 – Canada Day Celebrations @ Lethbridge & District Exhibition
📍 July 5 – SoulFest, Twin Butte
📍 July 10 – Upside Downtown Concert @ Rotary Square (Casa), Lethbridge
Photo: Gabriel Thaine
‘I have been watching Megan Brown of Makiisma perform and grow as an artist for over 10 years. I worked closely with her during this years Lethbridge Youth Songwriting Camp, and her mentorship for the students was invaluable. Her songwriting and lyrical style is as moving as her incredibly powerful, haunting voice which she has impeccable control over. She is also a brilliant violinist and fronts her band Makiisma with equal amounts of grace and finesse making it impossible for me to tear my eyes off of her.’
-Shaela Miller (Project WILD winner 2022)
Photo: David Fuller
'[Makiisma] could jump in on new songs she hasn’t heard before, and her playing enhances any genre of music she tackles. In the time I have known her, I have seen her emerge from being in top demand as a side player, and member of several notable Lethbridge based bands (Junkman’s Quire, The Silkstones), to become a highly sought-after artist in her own right, with Makiisma.’ - Kimberley MacGregor (Female Artist of the Year - Edmonton Music Awards 2015 & 2016)
South Country Fair: Echolocations Series
Past Shows
SoundOff Summit Southbound Showcase 2025 - Lethbridge, AB
South Country Fair 2019, 2022, 2025 - Fort Macleod, AB
Soulfest 2025 - Twin Butte, AB
City of Lethbridge Canada Day Celebration 2025
Southern Alberta Ethnic Association Heritage Day Celebration 2025
Upside Downtown Concerts 2025 - Lethbridge, AB
Beaver Fever Festival 2022, 2025 - Beaver Mines, AB
Lethbridge Roots & Blues Festival 2022 - Lethbridge, AB
Wide Skies Festival 2022 - Lethbridge, AB
Ironwood Stage & Grill 2022 - Calgary, AB
Upside Downtown Winter Edition 2022 at Southminster Church - Lethbridge, AB
Allied Arts Council Cabaret 2021 at Casa - Lethbridge, AB
CKXU Mini-fest 2021 at Theoretically Brewing - Lethbridge, AB
RiseUP TV Tour & Filming 2021 at The Slice Bar & Grill - Lethbridge, AB