It was a chance encounter that led pop-country duo Keith and Renee to Canadian music legend Jann Arden.

“We know her road manager and decided to meet up with him for dinner when we were in Toronto,” explains singer Renée Lamoureux. “Shortly before, he called to ask if it was okay for Jan to join us. We tried to stay cool and obviously said yes.”

Lamoureux goes on to say she needed to rely on her cool cat ways a second time when Arden’s team called a few weeks later to see if the duo wanted to open for her on tour.

“I remember them asking if we were free and I was thinking ‘um, yes!’” says Lamoureux, who said the hardest part was keeping the opportunity secret from family and friends while they worked out the contract.

For Lamoureux, her whole career has been an unexpected journey. She was discovered by her now partner, Keith Macpherson, while singing in her church’s choir. He thought their voices would mix well and the rest is history.

“I was so naive when we started,” shares Lamoureux enthusiastically.

“For our first tour, I envisioned a sold out show and a Juno by the time I was 25. That night, we literally played for the sound guy. It was a great wake-up call to the business and gave me the drive I have today.”

Now, after a decade of honing her one-time hobby, Lamoureux and Macpherson are about to hit the road with Arden and hope to expand their fan base. Despite the duo’s incredible vocal harmony, they only recently focused in on their pop/country sound.

“Country is new for us,” Lamoureux explains. “We started out more folk/pop then infused some rock. If I had to describe it, I would say our sound is Dixie Chicks meets Keith Urban.”

The tour takes them all over Western Canada with a stop in Edmonton on Feb. 27 at the Northern Alberta Jubilee.

Tickets range from $75 – $120 and are available on ticketmaster.com. To hear some of the songs from their latest album Best Day, visit keithandrenee.com.