Toronto folk-rock singer-songwriter Raina Krangle has released her new EP, HEADBANGERS: A Musical Recovery After Concussion, a personal collection of songs documenting her return to music following a concussion in 2019. The project explores recovery, family connections and resilience, reflecting how a life-changing injury reshaped her relationship with songwriting and performance.
The release marks a significant chapter in Krangle’s career, combining her experiences as a musician and educator with a renewed appreciation for the role of creativity in personal recovery.
Concussion Recovery Shapes Raina Krangle’s New Musical Project
Krangle’s concussion in 2019 made listening to and performing music physically challenging. Activities that had been central to her life became exhausting, creating uncertainty about her ability to continue pursuing music.
“The strange thing was that music could physically hurt and exhaust me, yet it was woven into every aspect of my life,” she says. “I couldn’t imagine not reaching for it.”
Although the EP draws heavily on her recovery, Krangle emphasizes that the project is not intended to define her solely through her injury.
“I didn’t want to be the poster person for concussion,” she says. “Eventually I realized I didn’t have to be; I was simply telling the story of something that happened to me and what I did with it. I didn’t choose concussion as my story. I chose what I did with it.”
Joni Mitchell’s Music Helps Reignite Creativity
A turning point came when Krangle received a Spotify email commemorating the 50th anniversary of Joni Mitchell’s album Clouds.
Revisiting the recording and singing “Chelsea Morning” by candlelight helped her reconnect with music.
New compositions subsequently emerged through dreams and music therapy sessions. Krangle documented these experiences using voice recordings and videos, some of which are included in a companion artistic journal featuring QR-linked recordings.
“I didn’t know I was making a project while I was living it,” Krangle says.
Bruce Cockburn Connection Helps Bring ‘HEADBANGERS’ to Life
The EP’s development began with “My Beautiful Dear,” a composition inspired by her parents’ 54-year relationship.
The melody came to Krangle in a dream, while the song incorporates a reference to Bruce Cockburn’s “All the Diamonds,” which her parents frequently sang.
Following advice from musician Colin Linden, Krangle approached Cockburn’s manager, Bernie Finkelstein, to seek permission.
She subsequently met Cockburn following his sold-out performance at Toronto’s Royal Conservatory, where he told her, “I’m looking forward to hearing it.”
Cockburn approved the reference, allowing the project to move forward.
“What began with a melody in a dream eventually led me somewhere I never expected to go,” she says.
Four Songs Explore Personal and Social Themes
Krangle recorded the EP with Brian Siegel, her musical collaborator of more than three decades. The two met through Western University’s guitar society, which Krangle founded.
Recording “My Beautiful Dear” proved particularly emotional, while the remaining three songs were completed in relatively few takes.
“The Beginning of Something Big” examines significant social and technological developments. “Troy Donahue” explores nostalgia, while “What’s It Gonna Take?” addresses social division and encourages collective action and connection.
Toronto Music Career Spans More Than Three Decades
A Toronto native, Krangle began performing at local venues, including the Free Times Cafe and El Mocambo, at age 16.
Her 2012 debut album, Solstice, featured “Jagged Edges,” co-written with her sister Jodi Krangle, and “Needle in the Hay,” which received a Colleen Peterson Songwriting Award nomination.
Her subsequent releases include “Holy Land” and a cover of Joni Mitchell’s “Big Yellow Taxi.”
Krangle has also performed at Winterfolk, the Newmarket Jazz Festival and Hamilton’s Supercrawl. Her children’s music appeared on The Mighty Tribe, alongside contributions from The Arkells and Tom Wilson.
Her work has attracted favourable industry commentary.
“My god this woman has a beautiful voice,” wrote Roots Music Canada.
Music commentator Alan Cross described her sound as “sort of country sort of Americana, sort of ’70s retro pop,” while Cyrus Rhodes of The Muse’s Muse called her “an infectious artist that possesses a ‘Gold Standard’ voice.”
Newmarket Release Concert Scheduled for November 14
Krangle will celebrate HEADBANGERS: A Musical Recovery After Concussion with a live performance on November 14, 2026, at The George Event Space in Newmarket, Ontario.
The concert will feature her full band, Raina & The Wranglers, performing the EP live for the first time. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., with the performance beginning at 8 p.m.
The EP is available through major digital music platforms, including Spotify and Apple Music, marking Krangle’s return to recording following a difficult period of recovery.
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