Getting ready for yet another tour, Kim Wempe will be bringing her big, bold blues-soaked vocals into the newly renovated and restored Water Valley Church for an intimate Feb. 6 performance, beginning at 7:30 p.m.
A nearly sold-out performance, the East Coast Music Award (ECMA) winner will be touting her third album, Coalition.
Switching directions with her newest release, Wempe confirmed her new sound is bigger and bolder.
“The past albums were more folky, with an East Coast influence. This one is more Americana-roots-blues,” explained the 29-year-old songstress. “I kind of thought I would write an album more for my voice...it’s a bigger sound.”
With a positive reception thus far, Wempe said the wheels are already in motion for another album sooner, rather than later.
“I’m really proud of this album…I have no regrets,” said Wempe, adding that she doesn’t believe in regrets.
The reoccurring theme on her recent release is about coming into her own — personal growth, surrounding herself with the right people and the experience that stems from countless nights on the road.
Her willingness to hit the highways have opened up doors that have seen the songstress touring cross-country, into the U.S. and a fall 2013 Australian tour with established Aussie rocker, Johnny Diesel.
“It was the first time I’ve ever internationally toured and it was amazing.”
Originally from Humboldt, Sask., Wempe moved to Alberta and only relocated to the East Coast a few years ago. With intentions to move out east to work on her music degree (vocals), Wempe departed her scholarly studies to pursue her own music, inspired by the strong musical community.
“I just kind of fell in love with the East Coast music scene,” said Wempe, who released her debut album, Where I Need To Be, in Halifax in 2009.
Currently taking a short break at home, Wempe laughs about the juxtaposition of her quiet life with her soon-to-be-husband, in the woods of Ingonish, N.S. — complete with a log cabin and chickens — versus pounding the pavement and paying her dues in the music biz.
“I feel very grateful to be able to tour…I enjoy the road, but it can be really, really hard,” she admitted, adding that she relishes in time off from the road, best spent with friends and family and left to her own devises to write new music with the accompaniment of her Gibson Hummingbird guitar.
The remainder of 2014 will be about gaining momentum as an artist and taking the festival circuit by storm.
Her music has turned heads and earned contributions, collaborations and praise from the likes of Joel Plaskett, Old Man Luedecke and Thom Swift and Geoff Hilhorst of the Deep Dark Woods.
The Feb. 6 Water Valley Church performance is part of an Alberta ‘Home Routes’ (house concert) tour series, where Wempe will be performing 12 dates in a 14-day span.
Learn more at kimwempe.com or inquire about tickets to the show at [email protected].
Folks can anticipate much more to come from the church, whose owners, Rick and Kristine Sarsons, have been busy renovating and restoring the church to unveil it as the ‘Water Valley Church Events Centre’ to give artists of all ranks a community platform to pool from.
“The (Kim Wempe) performance is pretty much sold out, but we are hosting an open house on Feb. 16,” explained Kristine Sarsons, adding that artist-minded folks are encouraged to come by the church between 1-7 p.m.
“The plan is to have a couple of musicians, treats and tours to thank everyone for their support and introduce the community to the new centre,” said Sarsons.
“We are reminded daily that it is a piece of history and near and dear to everyone’s hearts and we are glad to be a part of the church’s new life.”
The venue will be available for rent for a variety of community and arts events and even weddings; learn more at watervalleychurchevents.com.
