Laila Biali's Wintersongs is her first holiday album, marking a return to her classical music roots after primarily working in jazz. Much of the album, three years in the making, was written at the Banff Centre in the Canadian Rocky Mountains.

Cultural impact

• Laila Biali supported the album with an international tour, including a sold-out show at Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club in London, two shows at Tyndale University in Toronto, and performances at major Canadian venues such as BlueShore at CapU and Koerner Hall.

• Wintersongs was performed with a variety of ensembles, from string quartets to chamber orchestras, and featured collaborations with GRAMMY-winning arranger Rob Mathes and guest artists including Jane Bunnett, further cementing its reputation as an ambitious and collaborative project.

Critical response

• All About Jazz praised the album as “an immersive journey into the delicate beauty and serene power of winter all through the lens of her jazz and classical roots,” noting the thematic cohesion and lush arrangements. Read full review

• Vita Magazine described Wintersongs as “a sweeping, cinematic tribute to snow-drenched mornings, mountain silhouettes, and the quiet magic found between frost and stillness,” highlighting its atmospheric and genre-bridging qualities. Read full review