As debut singles go, Rose Up is pretty damn accomplished. That could be because its author, Montreal-based genre-fluid artist Angela Begin, is a bona fide expert in her field.
Angela graduated with Great Distinction from Concordia University of Montreal last year with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Music. She also completed a Music Diploma in Jazz Performance in 2019 at MacEwan University. She is the recipient of an Art Volt mentorship with Julia E. Dyck and a member of the CARBON (Community of Artists Researching the Beinghood of Nature) collective. Her writing has been published in Hungry Zine and CJLO’s 25th Anniversary zine.
Not only a singer/songwriter, she is also a radio host – shout out The Spacious Astrology Playlist – and a music educator based in both Treaty 6 Territory (Edmonton) and Tiohtià:ke/Mooniyang (Montreal).
Part Joni Mitchell, part Bon Iver – Rose Up is a treat for the ears. It starts with a soft acoustic guitar, but throughout the course of the song, it takes you on quite a journey. The flugelhorn halfway through, the variety in lead guitar tones throughout, the occasional bass lead lines – it’s full of lots of little highlights – they playfully come and go, dipping in and out throughout the track’s duration. It’s subtle and understated – you might even miss them if you’re not paying attention – but that’s the beauty of artistic restraint and carefully considered composition.
Special mention must be made to producer Connell Stinnissen, who, it must be said, has done a phenomenal job as well as Arnel Ethier on mixing/engineering duties.
Angela is due to release her debut EP – with the support of the Edmonton Arts Council – by the end of the year.
Written by Kinda Grizzly
