Your Favourite East Coast Solo Artist
Crissi Cochrane
One month ago, East Coast Rising (a fantastic radio show based in the Halifax Regional Municipality on CIOE 97.5fm) began a Twitter contest to name your Favourite East Coast Solo Artist. And after 7 rounds of voting, and oh-so-many tweets, I have the great honour of having being named your Favourite East Coast Solo Artist!
I’m so glad I had the opportunity to even be included in this contest. Not going to lie, I struggled with a bit of imposter syndrome here, because the competition included so many beloved, iconic East Coast artists, and because it’s been so long since I’ve lived on the East Coast, that I worried that some Maritimers might think I’m no longer one of them - but Nova Scotia will ALWAYS be home to me. Growing up in the Annapolis Valley, spending every weekend at our cottage in the sticks, and learning the ropes of the music industry in Halifax - those things have shaped and defined the core of who I am and what’s important to me. My heart is filled with longing for my homeland and I don’t even want to think about how sad I am that I can’t go home right now.
The contest started out with 256 artists, and I had the great honour of going head-to-head against some of my very favourites, including Catherine MacLellan and Rose Cousins (whose music I love so fiercely, and has been entwined in some of my best memories, and whose voice I still so often try to channel in my own). In the end, I went up against 15-year-old pop/country singer-songwriter Abigale, from Newfoundland, who rallied so much incredible support and was a very tough contender! She is a star on the rise, and I’m glad to have discovered her music, and will be following her career.
It was also a great opportunity to practice our video editing skills by shooting some little promo videos! Mike has been getting more and more invested in creating more dynamic video content for ourselves, and I’m so happy to be his guinea pig. I had really wanted to spend 2020 making as many music videos as possible - that was the main way I wanted to market Heirloom - but that became virtually impossible when the pandemic hit. Fortunately, Mike decided to pick up the reins and start learning more about shooting and editing great video. We’re hoping to try making a music video this summer… stay tuned!
I’m still blown away by all the amazing people who helped spread the word about this contest - especially The Tea Party, Jeff Burrows, the fabulous Trish Bogart on her live-stream on Tuesday night, and also to Australian Langdon Patrick, who shared with me the fact that there is a baby orphan kangaroo who listens to my music at feeding time, which is just the cutest thing ever!
So, thanks to everyone who helped make this happen! I am so humbled and proud and glad to have all of your support. It means the world to me, and I am so grateful for you!
If you’d like to hear more East Coast music, check out East Coast Rising on Saturday mornings from 9am-12pm Atlantic Time (8am-11am Eastern) over at www.communityradio.ca, or at 97.5fm if you live in the HRM.