Ohbijou

Ohbjiou
Ohbijou performing in 2007 in London, Ontario.
Background information
Origin	Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Genres	Indie, pop, folk
Years active	2004 (2004)–2013 (2013)
Associated acts	We're Marching On..., Alight, Gentleman Reg, The Wooden Sky, The Acorn, The Rural Alberta Advantage, Forest City Lovers, Timber Timbre, Bruce Peninsula, Evening Hymns
Website	ohbijou.com
Members	Casey Mecija, Jennifer Mecija, Heather Kirby, James Bunton, Anissa Hart, Ryan Carley, Andrew Kinoshita

Ohbijou was a Canadian indie pop band that formed in 2004 in Toronto.

Ohbijou began as the solo project of Brantford singer-songwriter Casey Mecija (born 1981). (She also works as a production assistant at MuchMusic.) Through the process of songwriting and composition, Casey discovered a need for the musical support of her sister Jennifer Mecija (born 1985), whom Casey invited to assist with her early performances. The Mecija sisters later moved to Toronto to attend Ryerson University and the Ontario College of Art and Design, respectively—Mecija soon saw what kinds of music existed in Toronto, and began to seriously consider playing her own music for a real audience.

In Toronto, the band expanded to include Heather Kirby (bass, banjo), James Bunton (drums, trumpet), Anissa Hart (cello), Ryan Carley (piano, synth, glockenspiel, electric piano, harpsichord), and Andrew Kinoshita (mandolin). In the context of Ohbijou, Casey remains as lead vocalist, though also plays guitar, piano and ukulele. Jennifer continues to add vocal layering, moreover, her instrumental contributions to Ohbijou include violin, harmochord, glockenspiel, organ and melodica.

The music of Ohbijou, which draws on pop, folk and bluegrass influences, has been classified in the indie pop genre. Casey has cited the music of Canadian songwriter Julie Doiron as an inspiration. The music has been described as being similar to Bic Runga and Mazzy Star, and called "hushed, heart-tugging music".

Since the release of their debut album, Swift Feet for Troubling Times, in 2006, Ohbijou have played festivals across Canada, including the Osheaga Festival in Montreal and the Hillside Festival in Guelph. They played the opening set for the Virgin Festival in Toronto, and were nominated for the 2007 Galaxie Rising Stars Award of the CBC, competing with artists such as IllScarlett, Final Fantasy and Emily Haines of Metric. The band were among the organizers of a 2007 compilation CD, Friends in Bellwoods—based out of Mecija's own Bellwoods Ave. Toronto home and practice space for Ohbijou and their friends—as a benefit for Toronto's Daily Bread Food Bank. In 2008 they were chosen as one of three bands for the Banff Centre's first Indie Band Residency, where they had the opportunity to spend two weeks working with some top producers and recording engineers.