CanEHdian.com's Kevan Corbett spoke recently with Chantal Kreviazuk from Halifax, where the musician was partially through a Canadian tour.
KC: I wonder if you could begin by commenting on your favorite things about being a Canadian artist?
CK: Mm… well, this is really home to me. I feel so lucky to be able to have a career here, and to feel
as well received and accepted as I do. I mean, everything is here for me: a full career, my family,
my neighborhood- the rest is time away from a place and community I don't really feel a need to get away from. I love it here.
KC: So, on that same tip, what might be your not-so-favorite things about being a Canadian artist?
(thoughtful pause)
CK: We have this really strange cultural condition where we seem to validate ourselves by what's going on down south, and so for me, that means I get seen through the lens of whatever's driving the American entertainment/media machine at any given time. It's worked both for and against me, but it's still ridiculous- I love this place; Canada is the greatest country in the world, and it just really ruins the day for me when somebody comes up and asks me what went wrong that this-or-this tune of mine didn't hit in the 'States. I've had this happen: "Well, (so-and-so) had a hit, why didn't you?" …at point-blank range. It's just so silly. I think we're better than that, and I won't break my back to participate in it.
KC: Now that Lillith Fair has gone down in the books, what sticks out in your mind about it, specifically and generally?
CK: Generally, everything just clicked wonderfully in every way, just a really great idea all around; I mean, marketingwise, as a business venture for Sarah, as a celebration of women's work, a cultural comment, a movement… it was beautiful. And an amazing opportunity for everyone involved. Everyone had such a great time.
KC: … and specifically? Maybe a particular memory or image…?
CK: I remember a press conference I did with Sarah and with Sheryl Crow for it, maybe in Vancouver. I'd met Sheryl a couple of times and always gotten a weird snubby vibe off her, so whatever. And this was when 'Surrounded' was just hitting in the states, so just as we're walking out, Sheryl comes up and says, "You've no idea what an important song that is to me right now..." which was just huge coming from her. I was struck dumb, almost cried. (laughs)
KC: OK, you started playing very young, and continued through all your phases of growing and becoming, and now it's your living. How do you feel your personal relationship with music has changed over the years?
CK: Well, I used to do it just because I could, and because I was young, that got a rise out of people, which fuelled me. My friends reacted, and I fed on it. I was a bit of a difficult kid, so after a while music became an outlet, but through the teen years I began to get paranoid about what people would think of me or my playing: by that I mean, classical studies kind of calmed me down, but I got lost in the technique and structure of it, worried about mistakes and perfection, and I was getting increasingly frustrated, nervous, and keeping it in. I started listening to more- 60's and 70's stuff, which I love. Gave up on classical, which was hard, but ultimately it made me 'me'. Then word was getting around and I started making money at it, which was amazing all around; just everything: jingles, overdubs, whatever. Which is cool: it's really gratifying to get a couple hundred bucks out of your piano when you're 16. I wrote more, got inspired here and there, and on it went. It was ok, but not necessarily creative. I was still blocked up. What changed everything was my motorcycle crash in Italy. After the accident, and all through my recovery, the people who were right there for me were all the people I was always scared to play for. They made me feel so safe and valued and looked after, that after that I just said 'screw this, I don't have anything to worry about…' and started the writing process that led to my first album.
KC: You've said 'Until We Die' was your favorite song to write, in that it 'just came out'. Do you usually have to wrestle and 'compose'?
CK: No. I don't like to write that way; I'm not that disciplined or that much of a genius at composing. My husband is both, but I'm not. I get ideas- good ideas- all the time, and I have to just address it there and then, or it's gone. I prefer the sudden inspiration method- I find it far more prolific and gratifying. I just did this songwriting session with my husband (Our Lady Peace's Raine Maida) on his last tour; we rented our own tour bus and set up a studio in the back of it so we could just hang out and work and be with our dog. We came up with great stuff out there, a lot of which will be on the next record. There's one song I just love in particular, called 'Miss April'- wait for it…
KC: Your coverage has been fantastic. Sony's firing on all pistons…
CK: I've been so lucky. People have been great to me, and I'm not taking it for granted. That was why I harped on the American thing before: I have nothing to want for at all. I mean, people tell me I gotta 'get into the States' and it's like I. Don't. Care. Canada never seems to appreciate what it has, but I do.
By Kevan Corbett, 2001
