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Born Leslie Feist in Amherst, Nova Scotia, singer/songwriter Feist relocated to Calgary at a young age and got her start playing in an all-girl punk band named Placebo (not to be confused with the U.K. modern rock act of the same name). After winning a battle-of-the-bands contest, Placebo (whose members were still in high school) played their first gig opening for the Ramones in 1991, and for the next five years, Feist sharpened her rock & roll ways alongside her bandmates. Touring across Canada ultimately took its toll on Feist, who had strained her voice so harshly that she was told she'd never sing again. To regain focus and seek medical assistance from another specialist, Feist left her hometown and resettled in Toronto in 1998. After being advised to stop singing for six months, Feist bought a guitar and spent most of that time in her basement, where she began crafting a quirky pop sound and documented her progress with a four-track recorder. A year later, Feist was asked to joi...