EPK

Bitterhalf is a bubble grunge girl band based in Ottawa, Canada - a city with a legacy of defiant and incisive women including Alanis Morisette and Margaret Atwood: women who have pushed the envelope on what is deemed acceptable for women in their fields of art and brought feminism, rage and social commentary to the forefront of pop culture. Bitterhalf follows in their footsteps, centering our sound in the feelings women are told to push aside, tamper down, and smile through.

We write about ruptures, the messy spaces between people where things fall apart, the angry thoughts you keep locked away in your notes app. We’re all water signs here: dreamers, feelers, and mystics who are not afraid of the depths - we welcome the plunge.

Musically, Bitterhalf sits between grunge rock and indie-pop, drawing from the raw edge of Alanis Morisette and Hole, the melodic force of Paramore and The Beaches, while channeling the wit and humour of Wet Leg, Courtney Barnett and Beach Bunny. Our shows are an experience - blending rage, catharsis, humour, aesthetic and mysticism.

We’re angry, we’re cheeky, we’re bitter, we’re ethereal, we’re incisive, and full of sparkly rage - of course, we do it all. We’re women.

 

Band Members

  • Chloe - the romantic rebel - drums & vocals

  • Harleigh - the showgirl with fangs - guitar & vocals

  • Pegleess - the alchemist and destroyer - bass & vocals

  • Susan - the sage - guitar


For fans of:

  • Hole’s raw power

  • Wet Leg’s attitude

  • Alanis Morisette’s rage

  • Panic Shack's energy

  • Beach Bunny’s melodic honesty

  • The Riot Grrrl movement

  • Women who refuse to back down from a fight


Featured On:

  • CKCU FM: CurioCity - interview and radio play of Fallout and Thrill Ride by Bitterhalf

  • CJTR FM: The Philp Side - recorded an intro for Andy’s show

  • Emopinions - reviewed by Emopinions for their local scene coverage


“[Bitterhalf’s] gritty guitar tones and melodic vocals create a sound that feels both nostalgic and fresh, alternative rock with its own unique identity.” - Emopinions


Recent Highlights:

  • 3 sold out shows at Live! On Elgin and Irene’s Pub (Mar, May, & Sept 2026)

  • Main stage featured act at the Jammy Jam Indie Music Festival, the Ottawa Valley’s biggest indie music festival (Sept 2026)

  • Selected out of over 400 international applicants as first round picks for Indie Week’s artist showcase (Nov 2026)


Recent Highlights:

  • Live! On Elgin (Mar & May 2026) - sold out shows

  • Buster’s Bar & Grill (Jul 2026)

  • Irene’s Pub (Sep 2026) - full house

  • Avant Garde (May, Jul, & Sept 2026)

  • Jammy Jam Indie Music Festival (Sept 2026)

  • Live on Elgin (Oct 2026) - full house

  • Indie Week festival & showcase (Nov 2026)


Giving Back

Community is so important to us, especially as women and artists in Ottawa. In May 2026 we played a benefit show for The Door Youth Centre at Avant Garde to provide safe after school care for children from marginalized communities. And in September 2026 we donated our set to the Jammy Jam Indie Music Festival, which raised over $13k CAD in support of the Bernadette McCann House, a women’s shelter in Pembroke ON. We also donated a portion of our band’s proceeds to CKCU for their annual funding drive, to support local independent radio and music industry opportunities for students. Community is everything to us and we will always give back to our village.

 

Live Recording