BEGONIA RELEASES NEW SINGLE “STAY FOREVER”
OPEN SWIM EP OUT JULY 17 VIA BIRTHDAY CAKE RECORDS
Begonia, aka Alexa Dirks, releases a new single, “Stay Forever”, off of her upcoming EP via Birthday Cake Records. An ethereal song that showcases a profound vulnerability through self-reflection. The melancholy lyrics contrast Alexa’s dreamy vocals which are underscored by the flowing piano melody. “This song came about when I was having a hard time letting myself trust in a relationship” Alexa notes. “I wanted to just let myself go into the love I felt but had never felt secure like that before so it was (and still is sometimes) a tough process for me. To just be free of self judgment and open to love takes great honesty and vulnerability that has taken me a long time to cultivate.”
The openness of “Stay Forever” fits into the journey of the upcoming EP, Open Swim, one which explores honest communication with oneself and others with candour and sincerity. Alexa describes the EP as a project that “encompasses the feeling of working through conflict and the elation that can surface when you’re honest with others and ultimately yourself. Sometimes in the process you can feel like you’re swimming for your life through choppy water but on the other side there is the feeling of relief, like floating on your back in the sun.” The Open Swim EP was co-written and produced by Begonia and Marcus Paquin (The National, The Weather Station, Julia Jacklin) along with contributions from her frequent collaborators and producer duo, deadmen. Open Swim will be released July 17, 2024 via Birthday Cake Records.
“Get to You”, the first single from the EP, begins by unspooling a story about longing to connect with someone. As each instrumental component builds, the song fills with emotions underpinned by the Poly 6 and Prophet 8 synthesizers working in tandem with Alexa’s sensitive, breathy vocal delivery. Alexa states “this song is about trying to get through to someone you can’t seem to get through to. When you feel like you’re constantly showing someone who you are and they can’t or don’t want to see it.” The single is rooted in R&B grooves and showcases a different side to Begonia’s abilities. While she maintains her signature relatability, charisma, and vocal prowess – which are foundational to her sound, there is a reserved maturity to the composition of “Get to You” that feels distinct.
MORE ABOUT BEGONIA
After returning from her highly praised mini UK tour, which included performances at Focus Wales, The Great Escape, and London, as well a two support dates with Dessa, Begonia returns to Canada with a full Summer festival lineup including Winnipeg Pride, Toronto Pride, Ottawa Jazz Fest, and Rochester International Jazz Festival in Rochester, New York. She will also support Blue Rodeo at the Budweiser Stage in Toronto this August.
In February, Alexa celebrated the one year anniversary of her critically acclaimed sophomore album, Powder Blue, which secured a spot on the coveted 2023 Polaris Music Prize Shortlist and earned her a 2024 JUNO Award Nomination. Begonia’s past year has included a massive headlining tour in North America, supporting Leith Ross on their UK/EU tour, a breathtaking performance at the Polaris Music Prize Gala, and her standout performance for the In Memoriam portion of the JUNO Awards Gala. While on the road, fan favourites from Powder Blue became clear, one of which turned into The Marigold EP, released in September, 2023, an extended exploration of “Marigold” and included 3 remixes. To celebrate the album, the EP, and her fans, Begonia did a two sold-out nights “Vegas-style residency” at Club Regent Casino in Winnipeg, MB. Powder Blue received worldwide recognition and radioplay in Canada, the United States and Germany, the album also hit #1 on the earshot! charts.
Pegged as Canada’s breakout alt-diva, Begonia has built a legion of fans online and at her legendary live shows. Between her debut EP and album, Lady in Mind and Fear respectively, she was named on of NPR’s Artists You Need to Know, had two #1 songs on CBC Music’s Top 20, were nominated for a JUNO Award for Alternative Album Of The Year and longlisted for the Polaris Music Prize. Fear spent 10 straight weeks as the #1 album in Canada on Earshot’s Top 50 chart and had songs synced to numerous Netflix and Oprah Winfrey Network shows.
Tour Dates
Jun 8 – Uxbridge, ON @ Springtide Music Festival
Jun 15 – Brandon, MB @ Keystone Centre 50th Anniversary
Jun 21 – Ottawa, ON @ Ottawa Jazz Festival
Jun 22 – Beaumont, AB @ Beaumont Music Festival
Jun 28 – Toronto, ON @ Pride Toronto
Jun 29 – Rochester, NY @ Rochester International Jazz Festival
Jul 1 – Montréal, QC @ Festival International de Jazz de Montreal
Jul 19 – Yellowknife, NT @ Folk on the Rocks
Jul 27-28 – Salmon Arm, BC @ Salmon Arm Roots and Blues
Aug 9 – Ear Falls, ON @ Trout Forest Music Festival
Aug 24 – Toronto, ON @ Budweiser Stage(supporting Blue Rodeo & Matt Mays)
PRE-SAVE THE OPEN SWIM EP HERE
Artist Links
Background Photo Credit: Calvin Lee Joseph
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