Halifax-based folk singer Amelia Curran has a brand spanking new CD on store shelves and is playing a couple of shows in New Brunswick to help promote the fantastic roots-inspired record.
A multiple past East Coast Music Award nominee, Curran returned to her home province of Newfoundland to make Hunter Hunter, her fifth record. It was something she had been yearning to do for quite some time.
“In 10 years, I had never recorded in St. John’s,” Curran affirms down the line from her adopted home of Halifax. “I had made four records in Nova Scotia and really wanted to return home to Newfoundland and work with people I had known my whole life; work with my mentors.”
Curran goes on to note that making her home in Halifax specifically was never truly in the cards, but that she was simply looking to leave Newfoundland and ended up in Nova Scotia.
“I flew the nest, so to speak. Getting out of Newfoundland was important to me,” Curran says. “Funny enough when I was living in St. John’s, I was telling people I was meeting someone in Halifax and we were going to make a record but it hadn’t been the plan at all. Incidentally though, I did end up meeting up with that person I had told people I was going to meet up with and we did end up making a record together.”
Curran admits that when it came to writing her newest record, the shadow of her previous album War Brides was hanging heavily over her.
“War Brides was definitely an intimidating record to follow up,” Curran admits. “It is almost as though it was my first record where I had settled into my own skin as a song writer.
“It’s like War Brides was the little album that could; it’s my best selling record and when it came time to follow it up, I ended up doing a lot of rewrites and do-over’s and ended up being really concerned about ensuring that every aspect of my new record was correct.”
Curran is one of many artists featured on Warner Music Canada’s compilation Atlantic Voices, which shines a light on the immense female talent hailing from the Atlantic Provinces. She sees her involvement in the project as a win for her as well as for her friends.
“Personally, I’ve discovered artists via compilations. Atlantic Voices is a great, regional ‘Women and Songs’ type of idea. I think compilations like this appeal to the public as people will always be looking for something they haven’t heard of before,” Curran says.
As we prepare for the fall season, Curran’s tour schedule is quickly filling up with tour dates. She will be playing here at home in Canada as well as having shows in England, Ireland and Belgium on her slate.
Some of Curran’s tour dates, including those shows in Saint John and Fredericton will feature Curran and her full band, while other markets like Western Canada will be Curran performing alongside bandmate Andrew Dale.
But before the first show even takes place, she admits that she has to find her second wind somewhere along the way.
“Summer has really worn me out,” she confesses with a laugh. “I’m positively thrilled about my record but am also looking forward to painting my kitchen.”
Catch Amelia Curran at the Blue Olive in Saint John on Thursday September 10 while fans in Fredericton can see her at Evergreen Theatre on Friday September 11.