Carrie Matisse is the central figure in a concept music project created by singer-songwriter and poet Caroline Colantonio. Inspired by her favourite literary works and the bold artistry of Henri Matisse, Colantonio crafted Carrie as a vessel for exploring resilience, wonder, and creative courage. Drawing on a background in opera, theatre, literature, and acting, her work blends narrative style with cinematic atmosphere. Colantonio has appeared in Mirvish’s Les Miserables and in productions with SOLT, Toronto City Opera, and The Royal Conservatory. Alongside her stage career, she nurtured a love of writing, first discovering poetry during her undergraduate Opera studies at Western. She later earned her MA in Creative Writing at UofT while leading indie bands and earning radio play, as well as a top-100 placement in CBC’s Searchlight competition. Mid-pandemic heartbreak nearly pushed Colantonio toward a PhD, but a chance encounter with a poem at the Toronto Reference Library inspired her to continue with music. Collaborating with vocal coach Marla Joy and producer Benjamin Thomas, she embraced a new sound through the persona of Carrie Matisse. Carrie’s world is an emotional dreamscape — a doorway down a rabbit hole, a reflection on never-endings, and a way into a way out.
