SPILL FEATURE: SERENE LIFE CAN PRODUCE EXCELLENT ART – A CONVERSATION WITH JENN GRANT

SERENE LIFE CAN PRODUCE EXCELLENT ART

A CONVERSATION WITH JENN GRANT

Slowly but surely, Jenn Grant has become a fixture of the Canadian music scene, with her quality music echoing not only down across the border but elsewhere.

It was her assured songwriting and smooth vocals that did it, which has also brought her a series of JUNO awards nominations and other nominations and wins over the years, with her music being used for TV shows, trailers, ad campaigns. “Dreamer” from her debut album  is the long-running theme music for CBCs Heartland, now going into its 16th Season.

Most of that Grant achieved living and working from a serene rural community in Nova Scotia  with her husband, producer Daniel Ledwell and her two sons. It was from exactly that pristine natural location where she spoke to Spill Magazine about creating art in such a location, her latest album Champagne Problems, her upcoming projects and a few other things.

“When my my mother died about 11 years ago, my husband and I made a decision to move to Nova Scotia. We wanted to live by the water and by the trees and I just wanted that space around me because I think that the it gives me a sense of freedom, which you know, is connected to songwriting.”

Although Grant thinks she could write anywhere, “you lose yourself in your writing,” and that a songwriter could be anywhere – in a big city or on a farm, if they immerse themselves in their art your surroundings simply shift into the background and their potential beauty keeps on sifting into the songwriting.

“Music is I think about sort of generating a feeling or creating a space where people can touch down on you know, what’s in their heart. Iy just might be that my goal is to create soothing kind of feeling, even though sometimes my music isn’t really soothing.”

Grant’s latest album Champagne Problems works on a number of levels. One one it is a set of musical collaborations with a selected artist from the Canadian music scene, something she had already done on Compostela, one of her previous albums (“I feel the new album is like its big sister, or something”).

At the same time, it is a set of songs that go through the musical genres Grant has previously worked with and that suit her songwriting and voice so well.

Grant notes that the collaborative aspect is actually the focus of the album. “I guess I wanted to give something of a platform to some artists in my home country, share my knowledge and my close relationships and ties to artists in Canada.”

“As a Canadian I think there’s so much focus on leaving the country and getting across the border and trying to break out somewhere and you kind of don’t turn your back on your on on your own country. And I just had a moment during the pandemic to sit and look around me and feel sort of some pride and some love for my country, and wanting to show that off a little bit.”

Essentially, she stresses, she loves solitary writing, and collaborative songwriting wasn’t something she was that comfortable with at first. “I sort of took some time to get used to being comfortable with that because I thought it’d be kind of embarrassing to be so revealing with another person.”

PURCHASE CHAMPAGNE PROBLEMS

In the end, the album turned out for the best. ”I felt like everyone who wrote with me on this album, I caught them at a time of stillness where they really were available to do this experiment and I thought all of the songs and we’re so like came with such gifts from the other person that it was just such a special thing for me.”

Some of the collaborations on the album truly stand out, like “One Hit Wonders” with Ria Mae and “All of This Time” with Bahamas.

“One Hit Wonders” is a song Ria Mae, my partner Danny, and I wrote trying to reflect a bit on the way women are treated in the music industry.” With Mae also being a mother of two, it was in many ways easy for her and Grant to strike a connection on the subject. “Being at some sort of a mid-point in your life, having a child, or just being in this industry that is very male centric, I just gathered so much love for women working in music, I just realized that there is a point to be raised up with all of they’ve done and all the life experience they’ve had.”

Grant thinks that working with Afie Jurvanen (aka Bahamas), was quite some fun, as she considers him as quite a talented artist and a very funny person. 

“I was a little bit nervous to write with him because I wasn’t sure if I if if we knew each other well enough yet, but writing that song with him was like a gift as well.”

Being a partner and living with someone, having a family, and creating art at the same time is a specific situation of which Grant thinks is a blessing and something she feels quite comfortable with.

“I think I chose such a great partner. Our life is really busy and hectic and for over a decade before we had kids. And we did a lot of touring together and we’ve made a lot of records together. And we are just both passionate about about music and art and we support each other. He really supports me in all my endeavors.”

And music is not the only one of Grant’s artistic endeavors. She also paints and is now also involved in video creation.  One of her paintings was included on the cover of her first album back in 2007, and one was also included on her album Echoes. Recently, she has created a video for a song called “Catch The Wind.”

Currently she is working with a gallery in Nova Scotia on a painting. “I’m working on a painting now and I’m thinking well, maybe I’ll do more sort of sort of painting videos like art videos, you know, and the the way that I just did that video with the layers and stuff it reminds me of painting because I like to use a lot of texture and, and layers.”

Talking about all the awards and nominations she received, Grant notes that she doesn’t think about them that much these days. “At this point in my life, it becomes like if a big award came, great, and if it doesn’t, I don’t think it devalues my work in any way.”

Talking about the prospective upcoming projects, Grant points out that she has quite a few unrecorded songs lying around, probably a few albums worth. “I thought about making a country record or something in Nashville but I don’t know what’s going to happen. Actually, it might be about that I don’t need to go to Nashville.”

At the moment though, she is working on a secret project that includes re-recording of some old material. And there will also be another secret collaboration in support of one of her favorite Canadian bands that she toured with quite a lot. “The project will be dropped in the fall since we have an anniversary of working together coming up. Can’t say more than that at the moment.”

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