Once upon a time, in Northern Ontario...

I grew up in a little town in Northern Ontario, called Lindsay. I came from a predominantly Scottish/English background - which would explain peoples' constant comment about how Celtic I sound when I sing. I always respond with "yeah, blame the red hair and freckles".

I was a pretty typical kid, I loved my dolls (and my trucks) and my bicycle, and swimming. And of course, I loved to sing. My mother informed me that she can remember me singing "I'm Not Lisa" by Jessi Colter at 2 years old, along with my little record player and a 45. I'd sing for anyone who would stand still long enough to listen... my parents can recall
me singing "Silent Night" to complete strangers outside the IGA when I was 3. I grew up listening to everything I could take in... cut my proverbial teeth singing Olivia Newton John and Donna Summer, then worked my way up to Madonna and Duran Duran. By the time I was 15, I'd become incredibly shy about singing in front of people and only my closest friends even knew I sang. By the time I was 16 I had clammed up completely aside from singing in the shower and in an empty house.

As my children grew, they were the only ones who truly got to hear me sing because I was so scared of judgement and critique I avoided letting any adults hear me. Of course, as with anything, time changes things. I became a braver, more outspoken person, and as I did, I also got more courageous about singing in front of people. By the time I left the 13 year relationship with my ex husband, I was ready to start letting people hear me.

It started with my first boyfriend after him, a singer/songwriter in England named Jamie Isaacs. The romance was short lived, but what he left with me has been a slow growing process over the last 4 years. It was his encouragement, and his insistence I record a song with him that is responsible for making me want to peform for people - he gave me a taste of that feeling that you get when you've had an effect on people with your music. I wanted more.

Karaoke was first - because it was about as safe as you can be singing for a crowd. I spent as many evenings at karaoke as scheduling allowed, and after my last relationship ended I found myself there every weekend. Around the same time as I figured out how to use Acid Pro 6, my want to sing other people's music was dying... so I stopped going to karaoke, started going dancing and concentrating on writing my own music. During that time I started learning more about myself, and ways to deal with all the insecurities and anger life has left with me. I've also found my place spiritually - although I kind of always knew I was Pagan... the last year cemented it in me.

So now, here I am. I am working on putting together a CD, hopefully for summer release if I can get enough tracks together. I write about things that have happened to me, things that have left marks on me both positively and negatively. My album name is going to be Chiaroscuro because the album is a reflection of both my dark and my light sides - and of everything that's made me who I am and brought me to this place.

This is the beginning of a journey for me. I don't know where it will end, but I know that my calling in life is music. Even if I never make a dollar doing it, I know that it's something I need to do, or I'll wilt. I am always trying to grow musically... I am always trying to strive to be better at singing, better at production and better at expressing myself. I will never consider myself done learning - because there is always something to get better at. All I hope for is that people can listen to me and hear echoes of my soul in the music - because that's why I make it, to let those out.