Kingston is in for a real treat tonight when one of Canada’s finest musicians, Julie Doiron, brings her Polaris Prize-nominated indie rock tunes to the Grad Club.

Doiron got her musical start back in 1990 when then boyfriend Rick White convinced her to play in his band Eric’s Trip. Despite the band’s break-up in 1996, Doiron continued her musical aspirations; recording nine solo albums, collaborating with artists including ex-boyfriend White and touring the world, including a trip to China and Japan last year.

“It’s an exciting time in China right now because bands from away are just starting to come there, and they’re not jaded or anything to see people playing that aren’t necessarily from China and they’re receptive audiences so that’s really neat for us,” Doiron said, adding that she didn’t always think music was going to be a career path. In fact, she went to school for photography.

“It was after I graduated that Eric’s Trip started touring, but I figured that would be it, that photography was going to be a career and music was going to be a hobby,” she said. “And now, photography’s more my hobby and music’s my job, but lately I’m starting to get back into photos in a bigger way now, sort of dabbling with that again, which has been really nice.”

In addition to her numerous recordings, Julie also published a book of photos in 1998 entitled The Longest Winter, with words by Ottawa author Ian Roy.

“When we started Eric’s Trip, it was meant to be just for fun, and I don’t think anyone really had any aspirations to go beyond that,” she said. “We certainly didn’t expect it. We just kind of fell into having the record label find us, and things just went from there. And after Eric’s Trip broke up, I didn’t know what else to do, so I kept on making music. I never really expected music as a career.”

Her wide-reaching touring has seen her take inspiration from many artists.

“A lot of the inspiration I was getting was for many years is this band Ladyhawk from Vancouver, they’re one of my favourites,” she said. “I’m also fortunate to have a lot of friends who make really good music, so I tend to take a lot of inspiration from them as well. People like Snailhouse [Mike Feurstack], like Old Man Luedecke; he’s one of Canada’s best songwriters and he’s so good.”

Like many songwriters, there are a number of different methods to Doiron’s creative process.

“Sometimes it’s lyrics that just pop into my head, or sometimes I’ll find a melody and then keep singing it over and over till it’s good,” she explained. “I’ll either be writing lyrics on the road, and then later on get a guitar and put it to music. Or sometimes I’ll just sit down and write a whole song, which is rarer and sometimes I’ll just make up some guitar parts and go back later.

It’s kind of those three ways, but the most common way is that I have a few lyrics and a melody, and I’ll keep singing the melody over and over and going back to find more lyrics from my notebook and going back and compiling them all at the end. So I mean, there’s no specific way, but eventually you find a way that works for you. ”

Julie’s sound can be described as dynamic and eclectic, varying greatly depending on the atmosphere of the venue and crowd.

“I do love performing live, and it’s probably going to be a bit of a mix this time,” Doiron said. “We sometimes do a full-on rock show, and sometimes do something quieter; I think it’ll just be a good show. I never know what mood I’m going to be in, so I don’t know; I plan on playing a wide range of old songs and new songs; mostly I think it’ll just be good to get back out on the road after a few months off, so I think they’ll have a good time tonight.”

Despite all her success Doiron has a quiet modesty.

“I’m just forever grateful to have people who want to have me play, to come to their bar or venue and it’s not always easy to get shows, but I’m always grateful that I can,” she said. “Just to play with the people I play with is a privilege.”

Julie Doiron plays the Grad Club tonight at 9 p.m. with Little Scream. Tickets are $12, available at the door.