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Hamilton Spectator
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Hamilton Spectator
Mallard's second album takes a folksier trail
Last year, a number of Newfoundland and Labrador artists were approved for ArtsNL Professional Project Grants. One such successful applicant was musical artist Jenny Mallard of St. John's. Originally from Mount Pearl, Mallard has been working in the music industry since 2015. Alongside writing and performing, she has been involved with MusicNL and the East Coast Music Awards. She has toured the province with other bands, and went on her first solo tour last summer. Mallard released her debut album, Into the Deep, in 2022. She describes it as a concept album about finding herself through music, and her journey in life. 'It told the story of falling in love and then things going sour and then really finding myself as an individual,' she said. Mallard's second album, recorded with the assistance of the ArtsNL Professional Project Grant she received, is produced by Robert Kelly. Songs on the album will be released individually over the course of the year, after which the album will be released in its entirety. While she describes her first album as country-pop, Mallard said this album will be folkier. 'Everything that I write is from personal experience, and that's what makes my music so vulnerable,' said Mallard. 'Make Believe' is a song about finding love after believing you never would, which Mallard said is currently a big theme in her life. 'Dim Her Light' is a song about female empowerment, and Mallard's frustration with the oppression and disrespect women continue to face in society. 'One Damn Phone Call' is based on the call Mallard received that informed her that her father had Stage 3 colon cancer. 'It's about receiving that phone call and your whole world just turning upside-down,' she said. Her father was diagnosed a year ago, and recently completed his treatment and rang the bell. Songs on the album are being released around relevant occasions and events. For example, 'Make Believe' came out around Valentine's Day, 'Dim Her Light' near International Women's Day, and 'One Damn Phone Call' will come out close to Father's Day. Another song of Mallard's, 'Howl', is about her struggle with bipolar disorder and how people in her life helped her when she was unwell. Regarding the title, she said a howl can simultaneously be a battle cry, a sign of pain, and a sign of strength. 'It's about my story, but also how I took strength from other people in my life to get me through what I was going through,' said Mallard. 'The whole message of the song is that you can get through whatever you are going through.' She noted the song does not explicitly mention BPD, but rather is about a girl looking back at her past self and yearning for it, something Mallard feels many people can relate to regardless of whether they struggle with their mental health. When asked about future goals, Mallard said, 'I want to work in music and just be happy in doing what I'm doing.' While some short-term goals are to go on tour, release her second album, get played on the radio, and so on, her long-term goal is to focus on songwriting, which is her greatest passion. 'I do like performing and I do like the photoshoots and the being in the limelight but, really my heart is with songwriting,' she said. Mallard describes co-writing as her favourite thing to do, and has co-written with artists such as Darcy Scott, Mackenzie Critch, and Becca Bartlett. 'It's so fun, especially when they're your friends,' she said. She also enjoys seeing those artists record her co-compositions on their albums and releases. 'Seeing another person perform a song that you wrote together is also a really emotional experience,' said Mallard. 'Especially when you're getting so vulnerable with other people and you're talking about themes and things that are going on in your life. It's the best experience ever.' Mallard has a business degree from Memorial University which she said could also allow her to coach others and help them release their own music, potentially even working as a manager. Describing what she wants for her distant future, she said, 'I want to be by a lake, songwriting, with people that I love, or people that I really like working with.' Jenny Mallard's first album is available on all streaming platforms including Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube. She has accounts on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok, and also has her own website, .
CBC
03-03-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
N.L. musicians are keeping the folk away from the U.S.
Some Newfoundland and Labrador musicians are hoping to avoid reliance on the United States to sell their music and book gigs. MusicNL executive director Tamara Kater says there's a "large appetite" for music out of Newfoundland and Labrador in the U.S., but now, like many other industries, pivoting to new markets may be the only way to stay afloat. "For instance, the visa situation — that was already tenuous before the current change of U.S. leadership — is just too risky and the entire situation is too precarious," Kater said. Other artists are pivoting out of principle, rights and values, she said. "Our trans community is under attack," Kater said, referring to U.S. President Donald Trump's executive orders that restrict transgender rights. "I think many other people are feeling very, very vulnerable and also wanting to express their allyship to not support the [U.S.] economy and the government." Pivoting to Europe The COVID-19 pandemic brought with it some lessons that are now being utilized. As travelling began to slowly reopen, Kater says many Newfoundland and Labrador artists were already looking to Europe, the United Kingdom and other provinces as touring options. And the Folk Alliance International conference held in Montreal in February focused on exploring new markets. This year, a record number of 22 folk musicians from Newfoundland and Labrador were in attendance. Kater said it's important for Newfoundland and Labrador artists to meet other Canadians in the industry and find stable markets to bring their music. "I think also you're going find some markets in Canada are not going to want to book some U.S. performers. And so that's going to create some space for our own Canadian performers to be booked, including the artists from our province," she said. Kater says there is a growing appetite for Canadian music in Europe and the United Kingdom, and that those markets are more stable. She said MusicNL has already started exploring those markets to reignite the industry post-pandemic. "The performances pay well and the immigration is very simple. At the most, the most expensive process is to go to the UK," she said. The East Coast Music Awards are being hosted in St. John's this year, which Kater says will also be a good opportunity to bring other Canadian artists to the island. "We're really looking forward to being the host city and to bringing the east coast here."
