A mainstay at the Festival and on the Montreal scene, Eleni Mandell found much of her early inspiration in the music of Tom Waits and even waited tables to finance her first CD. With equal parts charm and grace, the singer seamlessly shifts between folk, country, blues, jazz, indie rock and lounge. Mendell paints pictures of shady characters and victims of broken love.  In 2007, the California-born artist made her love story with Québec official with the release of her first 45-rpm record in French. Her recent discography includes albums Artificial Fire (2009) and I Can See the Future (2012).