Canadian artist spotlight: William Prince
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When CBC Radio switched to an all-Canadian music playlist in March to support homegrown talent during the novel coronavirus pandemic, we were pleased to hear a lot more William Prince on our national airwaves. The singer-songwriter from Manitoba’s Peguis First Nation is a masterful storyteller and compelling live performer in the tradition of Neil Young and Bruce Cockburn. He's also a favourite here amongst FRIENDS staff, and we recommend his latest album, Reliever, to all fans of soulful country music. Here are three more suggestions to enjoy from this rising music star. — Liisa Ladouceur
Confession: I watched this video to quickly recall what I liked so much about this studio session, but I ended up watching the whole thing — again. It's hard not to listen to Prince's easy country tunes and picture myself lying on my back in a field somewhere, just staring up at the sky. In this session, Prince performs songs from his latest album Reliever as well as hits from his first album Earthly Days. More than the songs, I appreciate Prince's simple reminders—to appreciate what we have, to be there for one another, to take a moment to look inside ourselves—anodyne words that have taken on deeper meaning given what we're currently battling together. — Shazlin Rahman
You can listen to Prince's live session on CBC Music.
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Stronger Together, the Canadian all-star COVID-19 benefit broadcast, featured A-listers like Bryan Adams, Celine Dion and Drake. But if there was a performance being discussed the next day at the virtual water cooler, it was William Prince’s heartfelt rendition of his song “The Spark,” which opens with the rather topical lyric, “So am I dreaming? Or is this just how we’re living now?” In just over two minutes, Prince’s voice and words made new fans out of millions of viewers. — Liisa Ladouceur
Watch Prince's Stronger Together performance on CBC Music.
If you enjoy William Prince's music, you'll be happy to hear that he also has a podcast. Sunday Verse is a complement to Prince's album, Reliever. Every Sunday, the singer-songwriter shares stories that inspire the songs in his album through conversations with The Vinyl Cafe's Julie Penner. Every episode is an intimate journey into his relationships, what he's lost and what brings him the most joy, and how those experiences translate into his music. — Shazlin Rahman
You can listen to Sunday Verse on Soundcloud.