There’s a special thrill in discovering emerging artists who we can count on to express our joys, desires, sorrows and personal angst.
A new singer-songwriter on the block is St. Albert’s own Stephanie Hayden, who will release her four-track EP at the Arden Theatre on Friday, April 26.
Opening for her is an eclectic group including pop rock band Weisinger, country-folk singer Julia Dolejsi and guitarist Ben James. Hayden has billed the concert as a night of music with dancing and surprises.
“Think of a smaller-scale concert of what you’d see of someone on tour,” Hayden said.
Her newly minted EP is titled S P L I T, and the four songs are suggestive of leaving darkness and struggles in the past.
“The title song Split delves into the head of someone who feels like they’re split in two different sides. It demonstrates how it feels to be broken and not knowing what to do,” said Hayden.
Don’t Want to Leave You takes the emotions a step further and delves into the uncertainty of entering a new relationship and discovering the accompanying emotions.
Hayden, who is familiar with depression, depicts both the internal and external struggle in I’m Not OK.
“It talks about how people tend to not understand or take you seriously. The song is meant to show others they’re not alone in their struggle and how others can feel the same way. It’s OK to not be OK.”
The EP concludes with Off the Ground, a fun, upbeat piece about picking yourself up and living life to the fullest. It’s about finding hope and happiness.
Weisinger, an upbeat husband and wife pop rock band from Barrhead, Alberta open the concert. The duo released two full-length records, several singles and are enjoying more than one million hits on Spotify. They are currently working on an EP titled Throwback the Covers to be released later this year.
Julia Dolejsi is an 18-year-old singer-songwriter originally from Two Hills. Currently studying at MacEwan University, she is working towards a degree as a music teacher. In her spare time, Dolejsi’s arsenal of music spans a range including country, folk and indie.
And Ben James is a gifted guitarist who has performed from a young age, but only recently considered releasing his own music.
The Stephanie Hayden release concert runs April 26 at 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Arden Theatre, 5 St. Anne Street. Tickets are $15 and are available at the Arden box office, 780-459-1542 or online at tickets.stalbert.ca.
