Bella Donnas in bloom: Milestone changes on horizon for Ottawa punk band

Local band Bella Donna is quickly carving out their place in the Ottawa live-music scene and says their streamable music is on the way. With an upcoming show at local favourite House of TARG on Aug. 13, the group of five can’t wait to get back on stage at Ottawa’s favourite arcade.

Bella Donna was first formed in 2022 by music industry arts student Thomas Burr and high school friend Oliver Wright. They experimented with different names before landing on Atropa Bella Donna, the poisonous plant rumoured to have killed Roman emperor Augustus.

The band bloomed as they added new members from their high school, Lisgar Collegiate Institute. Today, the band consists of Burr on lead vocals, Leeah Sullivan on guitar and backing vocals, Darian Cassidy on bass and backing vocals, Evan Chamberlin on guitar and Jake Gareau on the drums.

The founding members wanted to present their stance against authoritarianism and used Bella Donna as a platform to write with political intention. Defining their sound by one particular genre is difficult for the band because bending norms is what makes them glow. Songs like Piss Train, Funny Orange Cat and I Hate Cars use humour and outlandish metaphors to express their criticism against authority. Off-Screen Death and Trade dive into personal feelings of love and sacrifice while maintaining the post-punk Bella Donna vibe. “

Together, these create a balance with our raw, chaotic energy and emotional depth, using both satire and sincerity to challenge power structures while expressing the complexities of the human experience,” Burr said.

Whether it’s writing about personal struggles or their frustrations with the world, punk is always in the air around Bella Donna. “Musically, we love punk music for the high energy,” Burr said. “It’s always fun to play fast, loud music, whether in the basement during practice or on stage at a show.”

The band blossoms at creating new music, performing live at venues and playing with new bands. “We plan to continue to work on music and live shows, and we have no plans on changing that whether we’re in school or not,” Chamberlin said.

Bella Donna has found a strong community in the local scene and says they’ve had nothing but positive experiences. “We’re super grateful for all the venues we’ve played at,” Chamberlin said. “One of the best parts of being in a band is playing an original song in front of an audience for the first time, it’s such a rewarding and exciting feeling.”

The band is eager to share raw recordings on major streaming platforms before finished releases. Bella Donna is also planning another show in Ottawa on Aug. 30.