A celebrated Canadian singer songwriter is doing an intimate acoustic show in Parksville on Saturday night, July 12.
Holly McNarland was a household name in the Canadian music industry in the late 1990s when her hit single Numb made the top 10 in Canada’s RPM singles chart. That album, called Stuff, was certified platinum and in 1998 McNarland won a Juno Award for Best New Solo Artist, followed by an extensive North American tour.
She went on to release a number of other acclaimed albums and collaborated with Matthew Good and The Tea Party among others.
Embracing her Metis roots, McNarland has also performed at important Aboriginal events like the National Aboriginal Achievement Awards in Calgary.
Now a mother of two, McNarland took some time off from releasing albums in recent years to concentrate on raising her family.
But she has continued to write songs over the years and her first independent release, Run Body Run, was released in 2012.
Although her children are still young and she doesn’t perform regularly, McNarland is heading out on an acoustic tour of Vancouver Island. Today, she has no agent, manager or record label and said she much prefers her current situation.
“When I was with a label, I felt very far from and separated from my fans outside of playing shows,” she said in a news release from Vancouver Island Music Connection (VIMC).
The title track on Run Body Run was inspired by her daughter, who was three years old when she wrote the song.
“Hearing her tell herself that she can do anything is really inspiring — like she can do anything with words,” she said in the release. “It took me a long time to make this record and I’m really close to the songs.”
McNarland will perform at the Quality Resort Bayside on July 12 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $30 in advance available from Quality Resort Bayside front desk, Lockhart Collection, ReVived Vintage, Soak Essentials, or online at www.arbutusevents.com. Tickets will be $35 at the door.
— NEWS Staff/Submitted by VIMC
