Former vocalist for the international acclaimed duo Taima, Inuk-born and Canadian-based pop-artist Elisapie is gearing up for the U.S. release of her debut solo album, There Will Be Stars. For those not in the know, she is a 100 percent real life Eskimo, not a common thing these days, especially in music. Yet her sound is exotic yet catchy – a unique fusion of traditional Inuit folk and contemporary pop music. Recently Bestnewbands.com caught up with Elisapie to chat about her new album, her childhood and her plans for 2011.

Daniel Kohn: Congrats on your album, what was the writing and recording process like?

Elisapie: The writing I really took my time especially after finding myself alone after having been always collaborating… It was a real slow process and the songs would come out and had no idea if they we’re presentable, was really nervous each time I made somebody hear them… And then slowly had great collaborators later on a few songs… And the recording was a very life changing experience, and very intense, I needed to really feel it all and had amazing producer Éloi Painchaud who was sensitive to what I had to bring.

 

DK: Did growing up so far north affect your musical tastes/interests?

E: It definitely made me appreciate everything and every opportunity I would get, since we have little chance and very little support and being an artist does not really exist, especially back then when I was growing up… So you always have to balance from being this Inuk humble person but perseverant.

 

DK: How did you get involved in music/when did you decide that you wanted this to be your career?

E: I’ve always loved singing and was actually a chorist a few times for my uncle’s band called Salluit Band.

And then started writing my first songs and had my older brother to hang out and check out songs with but just for fun in my late teens. And then in Montreal I met Alain Auger a musician with whom I co-wrote songs and made album with as the duo Taima.

 

DK: What was the difference between this solo record and working in Taima?

E: Taima was a collaboration, two worlds meeting, the south the north, the white the Inuk… And this album was about showing myself, the softer, the feminine, assurance and the pop lover in me came out and it really felt good…

 

DK: Since you’re a filmmaker as well, what’s the difference between that and making music? Do you incorporate any of the two into each other?

E: I will eventually really incorporate those in future film projects… But music for me in very natural and emotional intense and a body and mind experience, and then film is the much more interior and intellectual side of me that need to take charge and explore the outside world a little more…

 

DK: What are your plans for the rest of 2011?

E: Write, write, film, music…

 

Elisapie’s record will be out on June 7. In Canada, the album is such a hit that it is already halfway to Canadian Gold Certification