EMERGING JAZZ-POP ARTIST ELYSIA BIRO RELEASES EVOCATIVE NEW SINGLE “WISH I WERE BETTER”
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21 November 2025 (Toronto, ON) – Today, emerging singer, songwriter, and pianist Elysia Biro releases her moving new single “Wish I Were Better” via Universal Music Canada and Deutsche Grammophon. With poignant lyrics and an evocative instrumental landscape of grand piano, violin, synth, and alto saxophone, Biro has created an emotional terrain of yearning, reflection, and loss.
LISTEN TO “WISH I WERE BETTER” HERE
WATCH THE LYRIC VIDEO HERE
Pairing Biro’s raw, expressive vocals from her original demo recording with lush strings that swell and fade, “Wish I Were Better” captures the quiet, profound pain of heartache. Written on an upright piano on Vancouver Island, the vulnerable lyrics poured out of Biro in a moment of reflection.
“I was writing in a small nook in my parent’s house where I could hear the murmur of people in the kitchen, but also the breeze in the trees,” shares Biro. “I was processing some difficult parts of my past and as soon as the melody came to me, the words ‘I wish I were better’ just fell out and the rest of the lyrics came so easily. Even though it’s imperfect, the emotion of the song was so authentically captured in that moment that I decided to use that original recording of my vocals from that day.”
Working with her producer Alex Bone, Biro recorded the emotionally charged grand piano melodies at the legendary Westlake Recording Studios in Los Angeles. “I actually muted the vocals while recording the piano so I could capture the essence of the lyrics in the piano itself,” Biro shares. “The feeling of recording there, in that studio, where so many incredible records were completed was incredible. There is so much creative energy to connect with in a room like that.”
While honouring the rawness of the piano and vocals, Biro and Bone added an additional layer of depth and dynamic range by incorporating an emotive string arrangement. “There is a lot of contrast in the dynamics of this arrangement; it’s not a consistent build which so often feels natural,” says Biro. “The strings are more sporadic, but that is how grief often feels.”
Elysia Biro’s songwriting is soul-stirring. With her natural technique, she crafts atmospheric music that is evocative and sophisticated. Biro’s debut single “Just Wait A Minute”, released in September, effortlessly fused her warm, airy vocal tones with the jazz-inspired live-off-the-floor instrumentation that sits at the heart of her creative inspiration. Quickly garnering recognition for her refined musicianship, Biro has been featured by publications such as The Hollywood Reporter and Billboard Canada, and last week, she performed her first shows in London, England at Cadogan Hall and the London Jazz Festival.
Photo Credit: Liz Rosa
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About Elysia Biro:
Raised in the wilds of Vancouver Island and classically trained in piano, 26-year-old Elysia Biro (pronounced Eh-lee-sha Bee-row) is a technically gifted singer, songwriter, and pianist. At 13, inspired by the genre’s improvisational free form, she taught herself how to play jazz by ear and began writing her own music. After graduating high school at 16, Biro earned her Bachelor of Music in Jazz Studies for piano and voice before moving to England to complete her Master’s of Music degree at the University of York.
Citing jazz and folk luminaries such as Oscar Peterson, Ella Fitzgerald, Norah Jones, and Joni Mitchell among her greatest influences, Biro honours both tradition and the possibilities that unfurl when exploring new forms. Much like her contemporaries Laufey, Olivia Dean, and Lizzie McAlpine, Biro’s music resonates with younger audiences yearning for expressive artistry in the form of jazz-and-classical-inspired pop music. Biro’s introspective songwriting, distinct soulful vocals, and skilled musicianship represent a timeless alliance not only of genres, but generations.
Crafting her unique sound from an expansive fusion of genres, Elysia Biro’s songwriting blends modern pop form and classical technique with jazz sensibilities. An expressive and introspective songwriter, her warm, soulful vocals reflect her journey through self-discovery, love, and introspection, painting a compelling portrait of life as she knows it right now, blossoming between seasons. Biro has quickly amassed a dedicated audience on social media through her captivating vocals and virtuosic transcriptions of jazz solos. Now based in Los Angeles where she writes, records and produces, Elysia Biro continues to combine worlds, creating sonic sanctuaries all her own.