There’s Something About Sarah
Tuesday, June 26th, 2012
Sarah MacDougall
Our own Kevin Young’s report from NXNE had some love for a NWT-based singer-songwriter named Sarah MacDougall, whom he happened upon during one of his nightly adventures. Well one of our other writers, David McPherson, was also out and about during the festival, albeit with a different agenda, and found his way to the same bar. On the same night. For the same show. And had the same impression – that this young lady is one to watch. Read more for David’s thoughts…
Who would have thought songs about bears, wolves, and loneliness–penned by a woman living in a cabin in the woods with a heavy-heart–could be so arresting? During its 2012 edition, Canadian song slinger Sarah MacDougall made her NXNE debut. Admittedly nervous, MacDougall did her best to get the audience involved — in one song everyone was encouraged to howl like a wolf or just talk gibberish while she picked a lick on her guitar and later on she left the stage and encouraged the audience to sing the chorus with her.
The short 45-minute set featured the bulk of the songs from the folk singer’s most recent record The Greatest Ones Alive.
MacDougall made the most of her time. Despite chattering of barflies sipping craft beers and not paying much attention to her songs, her voice carried the room.
I was initially introduced to this songwriter when the editor/publisher of Penguin Eggs (Canada’s quarterly Folk music magazine), asked me to pen a feature on her. I had never heard of MacDougall, but am now glad that I was given this assignment so I could discover her arresting voice and strong, well-crafted songs. www.sarahmacdougall.com.
