Born and raised in Toronto, Ontario, Hetti-Marie grew up in public housing in a single-parent home, with more love than money and more challenges than chances. Her parents, immigrants from Antigua and Ghana, worked multiple jobs and taught her that education was the key to breaking generational cycles of poverty. In her heart, HM always knew she was born to sing. She would record her voice on cassette tapes, layering harmonies in her bedroom, dreaming of big stages while living in humble spaces. Church pews and school talent shows became her first stages, where her powerful voice began to catch the attention of everyone who heard it. Guided by strong mentors and fueled by her faith, she excelled in school while nurturing her love for music behind the scenes.
Although music was her passion, fear and uncertainty led HM to choose the path she believed offered more stability after high school. She earned a Bachelor’s in French Studies at York University, followed by a Bachelor of Education from OISE at the University of Toronto. Teaching became her career, but music never stopped being her calling. That calling grew louder when she became a Top 48 finalist on Canadian Idol Season 1, standing out from over 15,000 hopefuls. When her debut album, Truth, landed in the hands of a Nashville producer, HM took a leap of faith, leaving her job to chase her dream in Music City where she produced her rock-infused follow-up album, It’s All Good.
In Nashville, she toured across North America and sang at one of the largest churches in Franklin, Tennessee, living the life she had once only imagined. But when life took a sharp turn through divorce, single motherhood, and the need to rebuild, HM returned to Toronto with three children and a heavy heart. Once again, she chose resilience. Returning to teaching, she climbed the ranks to become a Vice Principal within six years, all while never putting down her pen or silencing her song. Her music continued to open doors. Her original French single, Je me souviens, a tribute to Canadian veterans, earned national media attention, with performances on CP24 and CTV News. In the midst of balancing career and motherhood, HM earned her Master’s in Educational Leadership, becoming the first in her family to earn a graduate degree, thanks in part to the prestigious Jacob Markovitz Memorial Scholarship.
Now a wife, mother of five, educator, author, composer, and singer, HM is stepping back into her first love with fierce passion. Her latest single, BREAKING PLATES, is a powerful anthem for anyone who has ever had to walk away from something that no longer served them, be it a relationship or a connection with someone or something. With raw honesty and soulful strength, this rock song speaks to the courage it takes to let go and the freedom that follows. It reminds us that mistakes, failures, and even shattered promises have not stolen our dreams. Instead, they have broken us open, allowing us to rebuild a beautiful mosaic that reveals the depth of our resilience and the unstoppable power within us.