Dane Pedersen is an up-and-coming singer-songwriter from Millville, Cape Breton. He began singing at the age of eight and picked up the guitar at thirteen. In the time since, he has taken a deep dive into the folk music he loved growing up, exploring new influences, and striving to uphold the Maritimes tradition of storytelling through song. Dane’s love of performing drew him to theatre and acting, and he has been involved in more than 20 productions at the Highland Arts Theatre since the age of sixteen. After high school, his curiosity and passion led him to study music in a post-secondary capacity, and in May 2024, Dane graduated with a Bachelor of Music with Distinction in Jazz Studies from St. Francis Xavier University. He was humbled and deeply honoured later that year to have been selected as one of the most recent recipients of the Festival Volunteer Drive’ers Association’s “Big Sampie” Award. His debut EP, Travelling Alone, was released earlier this year and features a blend of heartfelt original songs and reverent reinterpretations of songs by his heroes. Dane is thrilled to have been invited back to Celtic Colours this year!