Interview with Land Heart Song

What got you into music, and if you had not gotten into music what would you be doing today?

Since I was a kid, I have always loved singing.  As a child, I learned to play the piano, and in my teens, a friend introduced me to the guitar.  I started writing songs thereafter, finding it was a good way for me to explore and express my feelings and thoughts.  I haven’t stopped exploring music as a means for connection, creativity and expression.  I really don’t know what I would be doing today without music- it is central to so much of who I am and what I do!

What do you like to do when you are not playing music and how does that influence your creativity?

I like to spend time in the land, walking and looking closely at the natural world.  My time outside grounds me and inspires me.  The songs I write about are for nurturing love for the land, so these walks influence me greatly.  Melodies and lyrics will come, and I like to explore them in my head while I explore the land with my feet.

How long have you been making music?

I wrote my first song as a teenager, and started playing them publicly in my late teens.

Where are you based out of and how did that influence your music?

I’ve spent time in Guelph, Ottawa and Toronto, working as a singer-songwriter.  I’m now based in Mount Albert, a small town in Williams Treaty Territory.  It’s a beautiful town with lots of trails, and a creek running through it.  It’s the trees and the animals and the water here and my love for them that inspire the work I do as Land Heart Song.

Tell me about your most memorable shows, if you haven’t played live what is your vision for a live show?

I have been collaborating with Kingston Forest and Nature School to offer outdoor performances for the whole family.  The goal has been to bring community together in the land to sing and dance and tell stories together, nurturing and connecting through our love for the land.  We’ve done two events to date they have both been magic.  We are nestled in the forest, kids swinging in hammocks, families cozied up on blankets.  There is lots of singing, dancing and a whole lot of joy being shared.  To me, there is no better place or way to sing the songs I write about nurturing love for the land!

What is your favorite venue to play at, and do you have any places you want to play that you have not already?

I love playing outdoors, it is such a beautiful fit for the songs I write.  I would love to play outdoor music festivals!  I also have dreams of playing in soft seat theatres, bringing in visual elements from the outdoors to an indoor space, to create a really meaningful and engaging performance for families and school groups.

If you could play any show with any lineup, who would be on the ticket?

There are so many artists creating beautiful music for families across North America and the world over.  I would happily share the ticket with any of them!  I have learned that Raffi is coming out with a new album in 2024… I grew up listening to his music, and I’m so inspired by his continued devotion to creating music and advocacy; it would be amazing to support him at a show!  

What is some advice that you would give to someone who is just getting into making music and some advice that you would give to your younger self?

I suppose I would offer some ‘bigger picture’ words of advice; that you belong and the world needs you and wants you sharing your unique gifts.  Trust yourself, trust your vision, and surround yourself with people and experiences where you feel supported to be yourself.  I think I’ve spent a lot of time and energy second-guessing myself or thinking I needed to sound/look a certain way to be able to find my way as a musician.  I’m still learning this one myself, and these words are easier said than done, but it is now a key part of my practice to ground myself daily in trusting myself and what I have to offer; it supports me in then focusing my time and energy on creating and connecting with others.  

Of your songs which one means the most to you and why?

Green Leaf is the song that kickstarted this Land Heart Song journey.  It is the first song I wrote where I crafted a tune from a child’s perspective.  It brought me and my kids, and all of the kids I have since shared it with, so much joy.  I hold it quite close to my heart as the tune that opened up to me this big beautiful world of exploring family music to nurture love for the land.

Which songs are your favorite to play and which get requested the most?

I truly love playing them all.  I have so many more I have written that I hope to record in the near future and share more widely.  Because the songs follow the changes in the land, I often switch them up to suit the season- playing fall songs in the fall and spring songs in the summer.  So it makes it quite enjoyable to have constant shifting in what songs suit a performance best.  The most requested to date would have to be Green Leaf and Thank You, Tree!  

What is your creative process, and what inspires you to write your music?

I go for walks and listen closely, look closely and wait.  Sometimes a lyric or melody will come, and sometimes I will notice something that sparks curiosity that I then centre as an idea to explore through song.  I’ll then spend time working with lyrics, often with my phone’s voice recorder to capture ideas while I’m on the move, or with my guitar and sketchbook if I’m at home.  My family doesn’t know it, but when I find them humming the tune later in the day, after I’ve stopped working on it, I know I’ve nailed a memorable melody, and that either encourages me to finish it, or to have confidence that the tune is done!

Do you have messages that you like to get across in your music, if so please tell me about them?

All of us are feeling the stress and difficulties of climate crisis and social justice issues, and I feel music is a powerful to support us during this time.  Singing, we gain a sense of confidence with our voice and its range, so we can use it to speak up and stand up for what we believe in.  Singing together, we feel a sense of belonging and the belonging of all the people we sing along with.  Singing about the land to nurture love for the land is really powerful as it brings about all of the mental and emotional health supports of singing, while also fostering joy and love for the natural world.  I believe starting with love is the best way to support children’s mental health and their sense of care for the natural world and all of the people they share the world with.  Music is incredible, and I hope to use it as best as I can to support us in finding ways forward to take good care of all of the beings we share this planet with, human and non-human.

What are your plans for the future, and do you have anything that you want to spotlight that is coming up?

My album, Songs for Tree, comes out on October 27^th.  It is a collection of ten songs that is a song cycle, following a child’s relationship with a tree through the four seasons.  I’m really excited for the whole collection to be shared widely, and I hope you will check it out!

How can your fans best keep up to date with you, any socials you want people to check out?

I have a newsletter that comes out monthly, and people can sign up for that at www.landheartsong.com.  You can also find me here:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@landheartsong

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/landheartsong/?hl=en

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/landheartsong

BandCamp: https://landheartsong.bandcamp.com/