Russell Wellner is a Toronto based singer-songwriter and theatre creator. He grew up writing music and busking on street corners from a young age. He wrote his first song at age 7 and from that moment forward, songwriting became a passion and a tool for emotional expression. In 2019, Russell graduated from Randolph College for the Performing Arts studying musical theatre performance. It was there that his songwriting became incredibly character-driven. Rather than static moments of emotion, his songs became moving narratives that end in a different place than they start.
During the pandemic, Russell moved to British Columbia and found great musical inspiration in a town on the edge of the world. During this time, Russell traveled south on multiple occasions to volunteer at the Fairy Creek Old-Growth Forest Blockades. Incredibly inspired by what he saw, he decided to use his voice as a songwriter to help the cause. He wrote “When the Forest Calls for Help”, which gained international support on social media with over 40,000 views.
In 2023, Russell moved to Victoria for the larger music community. He released his self-titled debut EP, recorded at Impression Recording Studio in Ontario. Immersed in the Victoria music scene, Russell plays regularly around the city, both solo and in a trio. In February 2024 Russell released his single “There’s a Light”, an anti-war song about the genocide in Gaza.
In 2024 Russell embarked on a 7 week busking tour of Ireland. He played over 40 times on the street and in pubs! After much adventure Russell moved back to Toronto and is saving for the next one!