Rose Cousins brings songs, quick wit to Iqaluit

Rose Cousins, who is performing at Inuksuk High School Nov. 2, takes a selfie near some scenery in Iqaluit Oct. 31. (PHOTO SUBMITTED)

Juno-award winning singer-songwriter Rose Cousins is taking her guitar skills and quick wit to Inuksuk High School Nov. 2 as part of the 2013 Alianait concert series.

Cousins, who recently won a 2013 Juno for best solo roots and traditional album this past April for her 2012 album We Have Made a Spark, is chomping at the bit to perform in Iqaluit.

“I know it’s a long way to travel and not very many artists get to come in a year, and I’m really honoured and excited to be in a new place in my own country,” Cousins told Nunatsiaq News during an interview Oct. 31 in the Frobisher Inn lobby.

Cousins has three albums under her belt now, and she’s well known in her home province of Prince Edward Island.

But she’s now trying to bring her folk-pop music to more locations.

Cousins likes to play in smaller communities in Canada, such as in northern Ontario.

“I think that, obviously as an artist you can make a pretty good tour out of hitting the major centres in Canada. But there are so many small communities and small towns that I hit,” Cousins said.

“And Canada is huge geographically, but in the end we still have a small amount of people,” she said.

That creates a smaller musical network in Canada, which leads to artists travelling to other places where music is emerging, like Iqaluit, Cousins said.

Cousins said a group of artists can also band together to visit the smaller communities so it “makes sense financially.”

And Cousins is taking that idea from the snow to the sun as she’s beginning a three-month tour on the road in Australia later this month as part of the “Festival of Small Hills.”

That’s the PEI-inspired Australian travelling tour that gives smaller towns an opportunity to “invite artists from home and abroad into their towns” according to the festival’s Facebook page.

Cousins’ album was released in Australia Oct. 27 and she will leave for Melbourne on Nov. 21.

She describes her album as “a journey from and through some darkness into a lighter spot.”

“There’s some thinkers on there for sure, but there’s some lighter tunes as well.”

For the show in Iqaluit, she said she’ll “just do what I do.”

“I’m going to play guitar and piano, and I’m going to tell stories, and hopefully make a few people laugh in between,” Cousins said.

Heather Daley, executive director at the Alianait Arts Festival, who brought Cousins to Iqaluit, said Cousins’ sense of humour is a big draw.

“You’ll hear some of the most sublime music you’ve ever heard and a very humourous woman,” Daley said.

Daley said Cousins has been on a list of artists who she’s been wanting to bring up for a while now.

“I think she’s one of the most talented singer songwriters in Canada,” Daley said.

“And our concert series is always a mix of northern performers and artists across Canada. And I think it’s a great opportunity for someone like that to come up and meet artists here.”

Local artists Jennifer Taus and Jeff Maurice will also perform at the concert.

The show starts at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $22 for adults, $12 for youth aged 13 to 18 and free for elders and kids. You can buy them at Arctic Ventures Co-op.

You can also get tickets at the door, which will cost $25 for adults and $15 for youth.