Crystal Shawanda releases new album, ‘Sing Pretty Blues’
NASHVILLE—It has been a rocky road over the past couple of years—years filled with personal tragedy and loss, but Wiikwemkoong’s own Crystal Shawanda has come through the other side with an album of songs, ‘Sing Pretty Blues,’ that shot to number two on the Canadian top 50 blues albums list within minutes of its release and number 35 in the US (and climbing).
Ms. Shawanda’s journey began three years ago following her last album and was on schedule for release when her manager and agent of 14 years, Rob Pattee, passed following a courageous battle with cancer, then another childhood friend died from an overdose, then her nephew was lost just this past May.
“I needed some time to heal,” she told The Expositor. “The single was supposed to be released last spring, but I took some time off to mourn. It still hurts.”
The Wiikwemkoong songbird released a single back in January, and the full album is now available for download—or you can drop by 10-Mile Point Trading Post, which now has several copies of the album in stock.
‘Sing Pretty Blues’ is a collection of songs that channel hope, resilience and embracing all parts of oneself, even those that aren’t considered “pretty,” notes Ms. Shawanda. ‘Sing Pretty Blues’ touches on themes of loss and addiction, reflecting experiences from her life.
“As much as I wanted to keep moving forward, life happens,” she said.
She explains that “the title ‘Sing Pretty Blues’ was inspired by a conversation I had with a photographer as I was coming off stage. He said, ‘great show tonight, I think I got some good shots but it’s kind of hard because you don’t sing pretty.’ At first, I thought ‘what do I do with that?’”
Ms. Shawanda said that she decided to take the photographer’s assessment of her style as a compliment. “He was right,” she said. “I don’t sing pretty. I work way too hard for that. I sing my heart out, to everyone listening.”
Anyone witnessing Ms. Shawanda’s powerful stage presence and vocal delivery could have no doubt of that.
While she is emoting that she too feels the weight of life’s burdens onstage, she does not take time to consider how she looks. “I just need to get it out of me and into the universe,” she said. “I want to inspire others to do the same.”
“Healing isn’t always pretty,” said Ms. Shawanda, describing ‘Sing Pretty Blues’ as “a sonic adventure, through the fibers of blues and southern country soul, with a nod to Stax, Chess records, and Motown. The songs have a commonality of strength, in deciding who you are, what you believe, and what you won’t put up with. This album is about reclaiming and embracing who we are, all the parts of us, even the parts that aren’t pretty.”
This album even has a cover of Black Sabbath’s ‘Changes.’
Other 11 songs on the album include ‘Preaching Blues,’ ‘Stop Funkin’ Me Around,’ ‘Would You Know Love,’ ‘I Gave Up Everything,’ ‘Sing Pretty Blues,’ ‘Don’t Let Me Be Lonely,’ ‘If That’s All It Takes,’ ‘Waiting for My Lover to Call,’ ‘Honey Bee,’ ‘Too Far To Turn Around’ and ‘Dirty.’ The album is available wherever you download your music, including Spotify and iTunes—as well as at 10 Mile Point.
Ms. Shawanda will be playing with William Prince at the Wiikwemkoong Arts and Music Festival on August 1 at Thunderbird Park.
