Wade Imre Morissette (born June 1, 1974) is a Canadian

kirtan Kirtana ( sa, कीर्तन; ), also rendered as Kirtan, is a Sanskrit word that means "narrating, reciting, telling, describing" of an idea or story, specifically in Indian religions. It also refers to a genre of religious performance arts ...

and indie pop-rock musician.

Early life

Wade Morissette was born on 1 June 1974 at Riverside Hospital of Ottawa in

Ottawa, Ontario Ottawa (, ; Canadian French: ) is the capital city of Canada. It is located at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River in the southern portion of the province of Ontario. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the core ...

, the son of Georgia Mary Ann Feuerstein, a Hungarian-born teacher, and Alan Richard Morissette, a high school principal of French and Irish descent. Wade is the twin brother of

Alanis Morissette Alanis Nadine Morissette ( ; born June 1, 1974) is a Canadian-American singer, songwriter, and actress. Known for her emotive mezzo-soprano voice and confessional songwriting, Morissette began her career in Canada in the early 1990s with two ...

, whom he names as "one of the biggest influences in my life";"Wade Imre Morissette on MySpace Music"
MySpace. they have an older brother, Chad.

Music

Wade took to music at an early age, studying piano as a child and guitar and djembe in his teens. During a trip to India, he encountered devotional yoga and chanting, and decided to combine his interests in yoga and music, to create his own blend of indie rock/pop music with Sanskrit and English chants. In 2004, Wade was asked to be an ambassador for Lululemon, the popular yoga-inspired athletic apparel company. At the same time, he had self-released his debut album, Sargam Scales of Music. This turned into a world tour to promote both his album and the clothing line with the company signing on as a sponsor. The Lululemon Yoga Pilgrimage kicked off in 2005 and took Wade to Tokyo, Hong Kong and 32 cities in North America and continued on through early 2006 with stops in Thailand, Australia, New Zealand and Mexico. In late 2006, Nettwerk Music Group CEO and yoga enthusiast Terry McBride signed Wade to the label's Nutone Music division. Wade has since released his second and third albums, Strong as Diamonds: Om Vajra Kaya Namaha, in 2007 and Maha Moha – The Great Delusion in 2008. During live performances, Wade often begins with bliss dance and ends with a

. Wade, on guitar and

harmonium The pump organ is a type of free-reed organ that generates sound as air flows past a vibrating piece of thin metal in a frame. The piece of metal is called a reed. Specific types of pump organ include the reed organ, harmonium, and melodeon. T ...

, sings out a phrase; the audience responds until the musicians and audience mesh.

Yoga, Reiki and other

Wade has been practising and teaching yoga since 1995. He has completed Iyengar, Classical Ashtanga and Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga teacher training. He has studied Vinyasa, Viniyoga, Anusara and

Kriya yoga ''Kriyā'' (Sanskrit: क्रिया, 'action, deed, effort') is a "completed action", technique or practice within a yoga discipline meant to achieve a specific result. Kriya or Kriya Yoga may also refer to: * Kriya Yoga school The K ...

, as well as

zazen ''Zazen'' (literally " seated meditation"; ja, 座禅; , pronounced ) is a meditative discipline that is typically the primary practice of the Zen Buddhist tradition. However, the term is a general one not unique to Zen, and thus technicall ...

, Vedic chanting, and active movement and sound meditations with some of the best-known teachers in Canada, North America, and India. He is also a Reiki master, certified Phoenix Rising yoga therapist, and Viniyoga Therapist. He leads teacher trainings, workshops, retreats, and music-dance evenings internationally.

Writing and speaking

Wade has had features published in the

Yoga Journal ''Yoga Journal'' is a website and digital journal, formerly a print magazine, on yoga as exercise founded in California in 1975 with the goal of combining the essence of traditional yoga with scientific understanding. It has produced live events ...

and Maclean's Magazine. His work also includes the book ''Transformative Yoga: Five Keys to Unlocking Inner Bliss'' (2009), which he co-authored with his twin Alanis Morissette. He is also planning a series of motivational seminars."Living Your Joy , Today's Vancouver Woman"
Today's Vancouver Woman.

Discography

* ''Sargam Scales of Music'' (2004) * ''Strong as Diamonds: Om Vajra Kaya Namaha'' (2007) * ''Maha Moha – The Great Delusion'' (2008) * "Savasana Land"

Videography

* ''Together and Calling'' (2007)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Morissette, Wade 1974 births Canadian male singer-songwriters Canadian singer-songwriters Franco-Ontarian people Living people Musicians from Ottawa Writers from Ottawa Canadian twins Twin musicians Canadian people of French descent Canadian people of Hungarian-Jewish descent Canadian people of Irish descent Alanis Morissette