Turning to songwriting in times of hardship
Desiree Dorion on the release of her new EP
Music and musicians truly have the power to heal hearts and touch lives. In each of her albums, JUNO-nominated singer-songwriter Desiree Dorion, shares a significant chapter of her life.
Dorion, who is a member of Opaskwayak Cree Nation, released her newest album, Remember Your Name, in the fall of 2024. In it Dorion challenges herself and explores genres outside of her country roots, stepping into the “rich and soulful landscapes of Roots/Americana.”
The album focuses on love, loss, self-discovery and rediscovery, Dorion said. “I was going through a really challenging time and it required me to dig deep and to lean on strength that I never knew that I had,” she said. “And part of that was and has always been turning to writing for me.”
Connection has always been at the heart of Dorion’s artistry. For the three decades she’s worked in the industry, her work with First Nation communities, mentoring youth and emerging artists, has provided her with support she’ll always come back to. “I’ve gotten so much support from the Indigenous community throughout my entire career. That’s where my career started,” she said,
Dorion said she especially felt support when there were no solid programs in place for Indigenous artists. “There weren’t grants available to Indigenous artists when I started,” said Dorion.
Dorion and her team worked hard to release their newest project. She began writing for the record in December 2023 and worked with guitarist and producer Joel Schwartz out of Toronto. Parts of the album were recorded remotely from Winnipeg.
“There were a bunch of moving parts in terms of, you know, writing to production to releasing. Honestly, at times, this has been the album with the most logistics that I’ve had to figure out for sure. At times it was a bit frustrating, but Joel was super patient and we got it done,” said Dorion.
Embracing the uncertainty and unpredictability of a music career, Dorion acknowledged that no matter how carefully she plans, opportunities arise unexpectedly and she is ready to dive in. “I just try and put the best plan into motion that I can. If it works out, at least some of it works out…. I want to write songs, I want to make music and I want to perform for as long as I possibly can. That’s, at this point, what my ultimate goal is” she said.
Outside of her music career, Dorion is a mother to two daughters, ages 13 and 10. While they haven’t inherited her musical inclinations, Dorion continues to carve out her own space in the music ecosystem, fueled by true dedication, love and openness to whatever comes her way. Catch her at Dauphin’s Countryfest this June.
