Charlotte Cardin’s journey to becoming the most-nominated artist at this year’s Juno Awards wasn’t a typical one. She grew up in a family of scientists and started writing songs when she was young. Eventually, she made it onto La Voix, the biggest reality singing show in Quebec. Spoiler alert: she didn’t win. But she’d be the first to tell you that losing La Voix was a blessing in disguise. As a former model, Cardin also had a lot to say about the lack of control you can feel in that industry, versus being able to tell your own story through music. While her path to becoming the most celebrated artist at this year’s Junos wasn’t always linear, it says a lot about the persistence it takes to find your audience in 2022.