A New Artistic Direction
CONSTELLATE is part of a deeper impulse within me to create music on my own terms. I aim to capture the feeling of togetherness, even if we are for a time alone. Five songs are crafted with utmost love and cast up into the stars.
This time, I veered off into the territory of Artpop. I have included my signature minimalist and classical impulses, and blend these with new inspirations.
Synths dominate the instrumental fabric of these new songs, underpinning ethereal, floating vocals. A strong sense of rhythm and motion is stressed. Rock makes an appearance in my work for the first time, coupled with the same folktronica that I have drawn through my work since Gravity Wing (2017). As in that project, there will be beautiful visuals by Hali Rey.
Galaxies on the go... some of my favourite ideas for Constellate formed on the train! 
Performing my song «Green» (with art by Hali Rey) at the Banff Centre, 2017. Photo: Donald Lee 
Instrumental inspirations. I composed with the aim of translating various acoustic keyboard impulses to digital synth. All the keys on the EP are synths but they are meant to evoke the same emotionality as acoustic instruments would. 
My classical music experience, including my work as an opera singer, informs my Artpop aesthetic and work. Photo: Stefan Dolinar 
A still from a film project by Hali Rey. Collaborating with her again is fantastic! 
Guitar for the song «Ghost Heart» will be played by Daniel Llano Cano (here conducting Coro Novo Mundo)
Motivational Musings
I’ve devoted so much of my energy and creativity to making music, from composition to piano to opera to my exploration of songwriting, popular genres, and various instruments. For Constellate, I am the songwriter, composer, performer, and producer.
Gatekeeping in music has drawn aggressive divisions that are not only nonsensical, but also extremely outdated. One fault line is gender. Estimated to make up less than 3% of producers in the industry and under 15% of songwriters, women also find barriers in classical music and film.
Through arbitrary inequality, all musicians are harmed: we end up divided when we should be working together. Yet, by finding commonalities instead of differences, we can build a more beautiful musical tapestry and tear down the walls keeping us apart.
Through Constellate, I want to show that a musician like myself can do it all on her terms; that it is possible for absolutely everyone to share their creativity. I especially want to inspire those who may feel their art is forgotten to keep going on their journey - those who always felt out of place, whose art was censored, mocked, or silenced… In the depths of space, you, too, can find your star.
Costs
Making an EP is a labour of love! As such, I am covering many of the costs out of pocket or through work. I am producing (recording, mixing, mastering) the EP myself but I have engaged the services of a professional mastering engineer. I perform on almost all the instruments and vocals. Some wonderful people have also agreed to contribute time and effort to help me make this happen. But I need your help to get the rest of the way!
Some of the costs related to Constellate are:
- Audio and musical equipment
- Mastering
- Additional performance
- Visuals, photos, marketing
- Launch costs (performance, travel)
- Administrative costs (platform, distribution, fees)