Ruth B is Canada's latest rising pop star ... and she still lives in Edmonton with her parents - Action News
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Ruth B is Canada's latest rising pop star ... and she still lives in Edmonton with her parents

Edmonton pop singer Ruth B short for Berhe is quick to admit she owes a lot of her career to Vine. And though the social video app has withered away, Berhe's career has just fully blossomed.

'I'm from Edmonton. How was anybody ever going to hear about me?' singer said she worried

Edmonton pop singer Ruth B has just put out her new album. The 21-year-old got her big break posting six-second song snippets she shot in her bedroom to Vine. (Ruth B/Twitter)

Edmonton pop singer Ruth B short for Berhe isquick to admit she owes a lot of her career to Vine.And though the short-length social video app haswithered away, Berhe'scareer has just fully blossomed.

The 21-year-old got her big break posting six-second songsnippets she shot in her bedroomto Vine. The snippets took off and helped her form herbreakthrough hit singleLost Boy, which now has more than 52 million views on YouTube.

Columbia Records signed her in 2015 and Friday marked the release of her debut album,Safe Haven.

All the accomplishmentswere feted inherbreakthrough artist of the yearwinat this year's Junos in April.

Ruth B poses with a Juno award after winning the award for Breakthrough Artist of the Year at the Juno awards show Sunday April 2, 2017 in Ottawa. (Justin Tang/Canadian Press)

"Growing up that was always my biggest fear ...that Iwouldn't be able to break through all the noise," she told CBC News.

"I'm from Edmonton. How was anybody ever going to hear about me? So those words are really important to, like, break through everything and get a chance. It's been amazing."

Edmonton her 'safe haven'

Though a whole lot has changed professionally for Behre over the two years, she still planson keeping the life she had before her fame. She graduated from high school in 2013 andwas studying at MacEwan University when her career took off so sheput her schooling ona pause.

When she's not on the road,Behre continues to live in Edmonton with herparents, both immigrants from Ethiopia.

"All my friends are like 'what,you haven't left yet?' I'm like, 'no, I don't want to.' Why? I don't want to learn how to cook," she jokes.

I owe a lot of this to Vine: Ruth Bs meteoric rise

7 years ago
Duration 1:49
The Edmonton pop singer credits the social video app with her success. She released her debut album Friday

"I loved the life Ilived before this.Iloved going to school and seeing my friends and family every day so Ireally don't have the intention of changing that and living some glamorous life."

She says her home with her"little" bedroom and her family and friends are her"safe haven" a nod to the name of her album.

"The place I feel most normal and most safe is at my piano when I'm singing or writing these songs."

'It's a very surreal thing'

It's a bit of an unconventional approach to handling fame but Behresays it works. Besides,she's been doing things differently all her lifeand she's glad she "didn't always stick to the rules."

"I loved playing piano but Ihated sitting there for two hours and just doing theory," she admits."I remember the teachers would get so mad at me because I would never actually play what they wanted me to play. I'd just be making my own stuff up.But hey, it helps now."

She's still trying to let a lot ofhersuccess sink in and that's evident by taking a quick scroll through her Twitter account, where her excitement about the new album and what's to come is undeniable.

She heads to the U.S. this summer for a handful of performance dates and also has her first "real" festival shows, including a spot at the CBC Music Festival in Toronto at the end of the month.

"I think the most amazing moment so far has just been any time that Ising my songs, and Isee people sing them back to me it's very surreal thing," she said.

"Asong you wrote in your basement for yourself is now living in someone else's home and in their ears."

With files from Nigel Hunt