It’s April 2014.
After years of relentless touring, singer-songwriter Coco Love Alcorn has taken almost four years away from the tour circuit to raise her daughter Ellie.
Disconnected from other musicians, Alcron has been experimenting writing songs with a five-track-looper, layering vocal tracks on top of each other in real time and will be performing at It’s Handmade in Salmon Arm on Sept. 28.
As she gets the hang of the technique required to build songs by sampling herself she crafts a soulful song called The River.
Excited about this new direction, Coco films herself performing the gospel-tinged track in her bedroom and posts the raw, magnetic performance on YouTube.
The River video quickly spreads on social media and, before long, a community choir director in Vancouver has arranged the layers of loops for a stage full of singers.
Within months the song is being sung by well over 1,000 people across three countries.
When her new record Wonderland lands Sept. 16, the charismatic singer will be performing with choirs across Canada.
Fearless and versatile, Alcorn has worked in soul, jazz, folk, blues, R&B, pop, rock, country, hip-hop, classical, electro – even children’s music
Over two decades, she’s written, recorded, and performed with Joel Plaskett, Loudon Wainwright, Matt Andersen, Valdy, but it wasn’t until she became a mother that a new direction came in to focus.
“Everything I’ve ever done has led me here, to Wonderland, a collection of songs that is an invitation to connect, an invitation to sing, and an invitation to myself to dig deeper than ever in performance,” said Alcorn.
For anyone who has experienced Alcorn’s uplifting live shows, her new musical direction seems like a very natural extension of energy.
Showtime is at 7 p.m. with tickets at It’s Handmade and Acorn Music.
