PREVIEW
Rose Cousins
Friday, Sept. 28 at 7:30 p.m.
Arden Theatre
5 St. Anne Street
Tickets: $36 Call 780-459-1542 or at www.ticketmaster.ca
Whether sipping a soothing glass of green tea as a cleanse or enjoying a late-morning cup of coffee wearing casual pyjamas, folk-roots recording artist Rose Cousins is always on a quest for self-improvement.
That includes Cousins’ musical expression where her last album, Natural Conclusion (2017), is her most personal to date – emotionally open, raw and uncluttered.
The 12-track falls under the umbrella of relationship songs, both romantic and platonic, and signals Cousins bold new step as a mature writer.
“I tend to write from a deep emotional place and this was a new level of vulnerability for me,” said Cousins, who performs at St. Albert’s Arden Theatre on Friday, Sept. 28.
Interestingly, several years ago Cousins reached a point of artistic burnout due to over touring. It left her wondering if she could continue with music. Taking a step back from the music industry, she turned her attention to photography.
During the interim, Cousins reconnected with three-time Grammy Award-winner Joe Henry, a producer she’d met in 2012.
Henry helped craft the music of some heavy hitters such as Ani diFranco, Elvis Costello, Bonny Raitt and Billy Bragg. It was his encouragement that made Cousins want to record again.
“He understands the deep layers in a song and he gets the esthetic of maintaining a song’s integrity. Not all my songs are straightforward and he cares as much about the spaces around a song as the notes,” she added.
In addition to teaming up with Henry, Cousins made writing trips to Los Angeles and Nashville learning to write songs in a team. Prior to this new experience, Cousins’ songwriting was strictly a solo venture.
“It took the pressure off me. It took the pressure off the songs,” Cousins said. “Now I’m not as scared of going into a room with people I don’t know. Before I was worried I would slow the process down. But now, it’s absolutely thrilling and I can intersperse it with my own writing.”
Once at the Arden, the Halifax singer-songwriter will perform a varied selection from her catalogue on piano or guitar.
“I look forward to getting back to Edmonton. The audiences are always so generous.”
