Born to Carol and John Kreviazuk, both of Ukranian and Pakistani descent, on May 18, 1973, Chantal grew up in Winnipeg, Manitoba, alongside her brothers Michael and Trevor. At the age of three she began playing piano by ear and, encouraged by her mum, went on to study classical piano and singing. As a teenager she switched from classical music to modern, and began to write her own material. It wasn't until 1994, however, after being left immobile for several months after suffering a near-fatal motorcycle accident in Italy, that she seriously thought about music as a career.Although at the time she'd never performed live, Chantal got her big break at 22 when Sony Music Canada signed her as a vocalist. It was 1996, a year that would change her life in more ways than one. Shortly after landing her first record deal, she met Our Lady Peace frontman Raine Maida at a Pearl Jam concert, and fell in love.Her debut album Under These Rocks And Stones, was released the following year and enjoyed huge success, going double platinum in Canada. Twelve months later she achieved international recognition when her cover version of Leaving On A Jet Plane was featured on the soundtrack for blockbuster film Armageddon. More soundtrack opportunities followed, including Feels Like Home for hit series Dawson's Creek and In My Life for TV show Providence. In December 1999 she and Raine wed, and set up home together in Toronto where they worked together on her second disc Colour Moving And Still. The album, which features Before You, a declaration of love for her new husband, earned Chantal two Juno Awards - for Best Female Artist and Best Pop Album. It was followed, two years later by What If It All Means Something, which includes the popular single Time from the Brittany Murphy and Dakota Fanning comedy Uptown Girls. In between producing her own albums, Chantal collaborated with Raine on a number of Avril Lavigne songs for Avril's 2003 album Under My Skin. The couple also contributed tracks to American Idol winner Kelly Clarkson's debut album Breakaway, while Chantal co-wrote Gwen Stefani's hit single Rich Girl.It was a busy time in both her professional and private life for Chantal, who gave birth to her first son, Rowan, in January 2004 and her second, Lucca Jon, in June 2005. Just a few months after Lucca's arrival the tireless mum-of-two was back at her work alongside Raine on her fourth album Ghost Stories. "When you first have children, you need to have something together that's just yours as a couple," she explained. Other creative ventures have included a short film Pretty Broken, which she wrote and starred in, and a 2006 role as spokesmodel for haircare company Garnier. Chantal has also appeared in an ad campaign for fashion label Rudsak this time with husband Raine. "We are such a part of each other now, everything we do has each other in it," she says of their wide-ranging collaborations.
