How was the pandemic situation in Canada?
I think similar to most other places with multiple lockdowns, waiting for vaccines, missing people and lots of different fears. I really hope that the new year will be better for all of us. It’s all about responsibility and consideration.
Were you able to play as many shows as you are used to?
I’ve hardly played live since early 2020, except for a few outdoor shows in and around Toronto. It was very difficult because we are on road work are dependent and we are also happy to perform.
How did you manage to survive as an artist? Could she apply for support from the Canadian government?
Well, I’ve stayed very active artistically, releasing a surprise lo-fi acoustic record and a book of poetry, producing a concert film and new merch for the fans… I’ve been able to do a few things that I might not have had the time to do before between being on the road and recording music. In the beginning it was actually quite nice.
And, yes, there was some government help for a while that was much needed and appreciated. Also, a lot of fans really supported us – some of course could support more than others. That felt very good and was encouraging.
I’ve also written a lot of songs and went into the studio with my band – Dan Mock and Kyle Sullivan – and producer Mike Timmins at the end of the summer to record a new album. I think we were all lucky that we were able to do that. It will be out in the spring and I think it’s a beautiful album.
I think it was a really great thing that they did these Bandcamp Fridays where the artists got to keep 100 percent of the proceeds
Was distributing your music through Bandcamp an important financial factor?
I think it was a really great thing that they did these Bandcamp Fridays where the artists got to keep 100 percent of the proceeds. It definitely helped and was a nice touch. I wish there were more initiatives and ideas like this in the record industry!
Have you done exclusive online shows with admission? Do you know people who did this – and how did it work?
I only played a handful of online shows early in the pandemic. I had never done this before but thought it would be nice to do a concert for every country we wanted to tour in 2020. The concerts were timed to each country’s time zone, so it made more sense. However, it doesn’t compare to actual shows and I’m hoping that we’ll be on the road in 2022.
They tried to book a tour of Europe for spring 2022. What is your experience? Was it – because of the pandemic – more difficult than last time?
Well the 2022 European tour dates are mostly rescheduled shows from 2020. I have to thank my agent Jair Hoogland he sorted all of this out. It was very tough for many of us, both in front of and behind the scenes.
One song on the new album says: “If this is my swan song, this is my pride, before I’m forced to quit let sleeping dogs lie“. Did you really think about quitting during the pandemic?
I could never really stop but there is this worry of not having enough support to continue and keep my career going in a Covid or post-Covid world. There’s a line in another new song: “I’m committed to this life sentence of living out my fears.”