Castlegar’s Lisa Nicole is celebrating the lunch of her new full-length album and the return to live music with a show in Rossland this week.
The country singer spent the COVID-19 pandemic in the West Kootenays after having to cancel a string of shows and television appearances booked for 2020.
Her new album — Where Wild Hearts Beat — was partially written in 2018 while Nicole was living in Nashville.
“I’ve been travelling back and forth to Nashville for seven years now, so I’ve developed relationships with some songwriters,” said Nicole in an interview with Castlegar News.
“So on that trip, I got in the room with these hit songwriters and wrote a bunch of amazing songs for this album.”
Those songwriters include Phil Barton, Brian White and Dave Pahanish, who co-wrote several No. 1 Billboard country music singles including songs recorded by Toby Keith and Keith Urban.
All of the songs on the new album are co-written or written by Nicole.
“This album is all my own songwriting, all my own story, all of my own experiences,” said Nicole.
The album also features Nicole’s long-time music partner, Trail guitarist Jason Thomas.
“He tours with me everywhere, we write together, he plays with me everywhere,” said Nicole.
“It is a really special album to me.”
Nicole’s favourite song on the album is Do Your Thang, which was written on the spot in the recording studio with the album’s producer, CCMA award-winner Jeff Johnson.
“It’s so fun and I love the meaning behind it,” says Nicole. “It’s all about being yourself, not worrying about what anyone thinks.”
The album has a more upbeat feel than Nicole’s last album which was written when she was going through a tough break up.
“There are no break up songs, no cheating songs — but there are still a couple heartbreak songs,” says Nicole.
The pandemic definitely threw a wrench in Nicole’s plans last spring.
“I was on my way to the Vancouver Airport to fly to do the morning show in Toronto … when my publicist called and said, ‘You have to go home.'”
Nicole says her publicist had nailed an amazing publicity tour that included television appearances.
“It was very unfortunate,” said Nicole, “because this music is my best work yet.”
Nicole still put out some music during the pandemic, but she learned that virtual concerts were not her thang. Instead she used the down time to hike and explore the Kootenays and learn some new skills.
Nicole is looking forward to her first live performance, which will be at Redstone Resort in Rossland on Friday, Aug. 13. The concert will be outdoors in an event tent, so attendees should bring their own chairs. Doors open at 7 p.m. Music starts at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available on redstoneresort.com.
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