Music
The ultimate girl and her piano, a woman of integrity and personal conviction, who has carved for herself a unique place in the music industry. She pursues challenge relentlessly, reminding me to never stand still as a musician. As a fellow “recovering Christian” her songs have been my ministry for 15 years. I am a devoted listener, concert-goer, and collector of her music. No other woman inspires me like Tori does, on any stage.
She was young when I was young, and has remained throughout her career an intelligent, unconventional rocker chick on her own plane. Her vocal expression is unique, cramming lyrics into unexpected, unpredictable spaces. No word has too many syllables, articulating the profane or the sacred. Her versatility, and strong songwriting skills, defy genre. Her sass may have mellowed with age, but not her passion.
My favourite Canadian songwriter, I've been listening to her music since high school. She brings me as close as I'm comfortable getting to country. Her songs are filled with natural expression, guitar and vocals blending fluidly, accessible and strong. She writes about relationships, has a unique style and a personal connection to her compositions. Her website includes a blog, exposing her sarcastic, forthright, Western Canadian charm.
My favourite Canadian composer, a woman who weaves musical tapestries. She puts poetry, Shakespeare, and cultural journeys to music. Her arrangements are full, sweeping, and based on traditional influences, including instrumentation. She began by busking, and now she runs and owns her own recording studio, and tours internationally. We share a Celtic visionary's sight, and I am indebted to her for blazing the trail.
Another Canadian musician who started very young, with a long career in front of her. She has a way with harmonies, spinning the darkness into layers of light. She explores darker emotions, lyrically, and balances her pain with an angelic voice. I am more a fan of her earlier work, when she was closer to her East Coast roots, but she continues to produce beautiful and heart-wrenching compositions.
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