November 18th, 2016
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Folk powerhouse pair The Small Glories are Cara Luft and JD Edwards, an energetic duo hailing from the Canadian prairies.
No Depression calls Luft’s songwriting “redemptive, earthy and rooted in realism” and the Globe and Mail says she “sings like an angel named Joni or Alanis…” Edwards is a magnetic live performer and prolific songwriter with an equally soulful voice. Together, they form a musical bond — not to mention some impressive harmonies — that caught the ears of NewSong judges.
We took time to ask Luft and Edwards about their songwriting inspiration, as well as their upcoming international shows. To learn more about the band, visit thesmallglories.com.
What music-related news do you have to share with readers?
Our debut, full-length album, Wondrous Traveler, was released in 2016. The album was just nominated for two Canadian Folk Music Awards: English Songwriter of the Year and New/Emerging Artist of the Year. We’ve been touring around the globe (Canada, USA, Netherlands, UK) and showcasing at fabulous music conferences such as the Americana Music Conference in Nashville. We recently played the Sisters Folk Festival, which was our second US festival and have just been offered our first major European festival at Tonder in Denmark. We are also excited to play our first Australian festival at Woodford Folk Festival.
What is your songwriting process like, and where do you find inspiration?
We write individually and collectively, and we also co-write with other artists. Sometimes we start with lyrics; other times, we start with music or a melody line and expand from there. We write about personal experiences, while remaining aware of that fine line between the personal and the universal. (We want to write songs about things so others can relate.) We look to our families, friends and communities for inspiration, as well as our landscape and geography. We are so often inspired by hearing other people’s stories.
What do you hope to get out of your experience as a NewSong finalist?
It seems like a wonderful way to meet other emerging acts and songwriters. So we see participating in the NewSong Music competition as a networking opportunity and an opportunity to reach a wider audience base.
To learn more about The Small Glories, you can also listen to the band on SoundCloud, and YouTube.
