REGINA FOLK FESTIVAL PRESENTS WINTERRUPTION 2019

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2 REGINA FOLK FESTIVAL PRESENTS WINTERRUPTION 2019 WE WILL RETURN TO YOUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED WINTER IN JUST A MOMENT Win-ter-rup-tion /ˈwin(t)ər rəpsh(ə)n/ artists, 17 groups, 4 musical shows, 1 night of poetry, 3 venues 2. stop the continuous progress of the coldest season of the year 3. a frosty good time In 2019, the magical beast that is Regina Folk Festival is turning the golden age of 50! We are pleased to present Winterruption as the first event of this fiftieth year: a very sweet beginning to our golden year. As part of the 2019 RFF Concert Series and with a taste of the summer Festival itself, we at the RFF have partnered with The Broadway Theatre in Saskatoon to present 5 wonderful days of musical warmth on some of the coldest days of the year. On January 23rd through 27th Regina will get a whole lot cooler thanks to Winterruption. Our first few years varied from each other in form and content but were unequivocally beautiful successes and we look forward to sharing great music with Regina audiences once again. THE LINEUP Hawksley Workman.. Begonia.. Royal Wood.. Terra Lightfoot.. Shane Koyczan Ndidi O.. Kobo Town.. Justin Nozuka.. Natural Sympathies.. Zachary Lucky.. Zoey Roy Ellen Froese.. Eekwol & T-Rhyme.. Suncliffs.. Veracity.. Jolissa Simon THE SCHEDULE January 23 Shane Koyczan, Zoey Roy, Veracity & Jolissa Simon $32 advance / $40 door Artesian January 24 Royal Wood, Justin Nozuka, Zachary Lucky $32 advance / $40 door Artesian January 25 Terra Lightfoot, Ndidi O, Ellen Froese $30 advance / $40 door The Exchange January 26 Begonia, Natural Sympathies, Eekwol & T-Rhyme Doors at 8:00pm, Show at 8:30pm $27 advance / $35 door Revival Music Room January 27 Hawksley Workman, Kobo Town, Suncliffs $35 advance / $45 door The Exchange TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOVEMBER 1st! Tickets can be purchased online at REGINAFOLKFESTIVAL.COM More Information:

3 2018 WINTERRUPTION ARTISTS BIOS Hawksley Workman hawksleyworkman.com Hawksley Workman is a two-time JUNO Award-winning singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. A staple of the Canadian music and arts scene for over 20 years, Workman boasts a catalogue of 16 releases, showcasing his now signature blend of anthemic folk and show-stopping vocals. Hawksley s touring career has seen him play over a thousand shows worldwide. He s headlined prestigious venues like Massey Hall in Toronto and The Olympia in Paris, and opened for heroes Morrissey, David Bowie, and The Cure. Following a recent move to Montreal, Hawksley wrote and recorded his 17th album, set to release March Produced by The Dears creative genius, Murray Lightburn, the record will reveal Hawksley s hooky yet innovative melodic approach, authentic songwriting, and good old-fashioned unedited musicianship. Hawksley Workman is many things to many people in many places, but primarily, he s a student of the human psyche; an artist in the purest sense of the word, constantly finding fresh and interesting ways to frame and share the world the people we are and the things we encounter. It s a virtually bottomless well of ideas for a man with virtually endless imagination and creative outlets. Begonia hellobegonia.com Begonia s Alexa Dirks has never been able to fit into the box of being a "conventional woman". I m loud, I m awkward and I ve always taken up space. I've done things my whole life that some people would tell me weren't appropriate 'for a girl'. That narrative that once tore Dirks down is now what empowers her to take charge of her own story, in her own way. The Winnipeg-based Dirks is a Juno Award winner with her former group Chic Gamine. While she thrived off of the collaboration, once the band broke up she knew she was ready to go solo. Even though she was terrified to go out on her own, that feeling was a fundamental factor to positively reinforce that the path she was on was the correct one. As Begonia, Dirks is bold, brazen with her florid, surprising pop that is tempered with sensitivity and wisdom. NPR wrote that Begonia is the place where where synth-pop meets old soul and scrappy meets sexy." Begonia s songwriting style is largely autobiographical. There s always some element of me in these songs whether I like it or not, she says bluntly. She gets to the heart of her subject matter, whether it s learning to come into her own or confronting and processing a brutal heartbreak. Dirks intimate lyrics and audacious pop style sound allows for her audience to relate to the messiness of life with an honesty that is refreshing. Royal Wood royalwood.ca Royal Wood is a Canadian singer-songwriter, record producer, and arranger based in Toronto, Ontario. In his latest album, Royal channeled the polar opposite emotions of true grief after losing his father, and true love as he got married in the same year. Recorded in London, UK, Royal s album is not only deeply inspired by both loss and love, but is an ode to classic styles. To capture the rawest possible sound, most of the songs were recorded the day they were written, with Royal playing a majority of the instruments. As fate would have it, Royal recorded the album on the Beatles EMI console that made Abbey Road possible. Every day, I walked into the studio with the ghosts of my musical hero s sitting beside me, said Royal. All of my life I wanted to make music with the Beatles, and now I feel like I have. Terra Lightfoot terralightfoot.com Whether you re talking about her as a songwriter, guitarist or vocalist, roots rocker Terra Lightfoot is a ferocious talent. Terra's songs tap into the raw emotion of hearts supercharged by love, lust, loneliness and temptation. Her playing melds expert finger-picking and distorted, hook-heavy melodies and her voice commands attention and awe, whether on slow-burning soul ballads or hard-charging rock numbers. Shane Koyczan shanekoyczan.com In a realm where poets rarely intersect with stardom, the Opening Ceremonies for the 2010 Winter Olympics introduced us to Shane Koyczan. With a collective wow across Canada and beyond, we found the poet of our generation. And we weren t even looking for one. The world took notice when Shane s influential, antibullying, To This Day Project video went viral in early 2013 with over 14 million views and counting. Powerfully engaging and authentic in attitude, his explorations are relevant to our times in the way that Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Gordon Downie and Leonard Cohen are to theirs. But unlike the musicians that he s often compared to, poets rarely infiltrate pop culture. Koyzcan emerges in a new wave of 21st century poetry that dares to belong to the people and speak directly to them in their own voice.

4 Ndidi O ndidio.ca There are voices that demand we listen to them. Not to their words necessarily, but to their tone, to the emotional undercurrent that carries with it the soul of the speaker. Ndidi O is one of those voices and she sings to bring us back to sounds of our insides. Lyrics reminiscent of the rattling thoughts found in the back of our minds layer in and around organically ground sounds. She sings of her life experience so convincingly the audience is set to wonder if they too grew up wandering the dense forests of BC s most lonely mountain towns. This may be the reason behind her winning the Maple Blues New Artist of the Year award in January of 2007, representing as she does a distinctly Canadian experience; standing astride lines blurred between contrasting cultures and heritages. Born of a Nigerian father and a German mother her lineage, like her music, explores the globe then brings it back home. Her gypsy journey has collected a diverse range of sounds and styles which she weaves into an orchestration strong enough to support her strong lyrics and relentless vocals. As varied as her influences may be, they culminate in an expression of the blues that is undoubtedly Ndidi. Kobo Town rootsrockcalypso.com Founded and fronted by émigré Trinidadian songwriter Drew Gonsalves, Kobo Town s music is joyous, poetic, and highly danceable. Kobo Town is named after the historic neighbourhood in Port-of-Spain where calypso was born; Gonsalves songs betray deep roots in Caribbean folk music, while the band delivers them with an indomitable energy. Kobo Town has been variously described as an intoxicating blend of lilting calypsonian wit, dancehall reggae and trombone-heavy brass (Guardian) and a unique, transnational composite of rhythm, poetry and activist journalism. (Exclaim!) From their home in Toronto, the JUNOnominated group has brought their distinct calypso-inspired sound to audiences across the world, from Portof-Spain to Paris and from Montreal to Malaysia. Justin Nozuka justinnozuka.com Since 2007, Toronto local Justin Nozuka has released three albums and earned two JUNO nominations, one for Breakthrough Artist of the Year and one for Adult Alternative Album of the Year. His self-produced third album titled Ulysees (2014) demonstrated his talent for thoughtful exploration and bold reinvention. AllMusic rightly noted: "How he managed to unpretentiously transform himself from gentle soul-pop balladeer to ambient semi-classical song composer is just part of the mystery of this extremely talented young artist." Nozuka's wistful crooning is a delight; he's an artist of relevance. Natural Sympathies naturalsympathies.com Natural Sympathies is the solo project of Regina musician Amber Goodwyn, formerly of the Montreal bands Cobra & Vulture and Nightwood. Natural Sympathies makes music that is an eclectic mix of playful vocal harmonies, urgent lyrics, elemental drum machine beats, organ, twisty guitar and synth. Her live shows explore her inner life through fantasy, using dance and otherworldly projections and occasionally performing with a coven of back-up dancers called The Mutual Affection. Zachary Lucky zacharylucky.com Zachary Lucky is unapologetically old-school country, armed with a husky, baritone voice - he carries himself like a younger Richard Buckner or a heartier Doug Paisley and often receives comparisons to songwriters such as Gordon Lightfoot and Kris Kristofferson. He sings of Canadian places and people as knowingly as he might Townes van Zandt or the Rio Grande. It's a relatable show on many levels, and conjures universal feelings that have passed through our collective timelines. Already hailed as a master storyteller by outlets ranging from no depression to the globe and mail, and recently nominated best solo artist of the year at the 2017 Canadian folk music awards, Lucky s everywhere a man can be is his most powerful statement to date.

5 Zoey Roy Zoey Roy is a poet, community-based educator, community engagement consultant, author, filmmaker and social entrepreneur based out of Saskatoon. She holds a Bachelor of Education from the University of Saskatchewan and is currently pursuing a Master s Degree at Johnson Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy. Zoey is passionate about enabling people to reach their potential by eliminating barriers. Her Cree- Dene-Metis roots and career as an artist give her a unique insight into working with Indigenous and Canadian youth in pursuit of relationship-building and reconciliation. Zoey has been working with the National Arts Centre s Music Alive Program in Saskatchewan since 2016, and she has collaborated with 75 classrooms to produce collective stories. Her passion, experience, and knowledge in storytelling, artistic expression, and community engagement provide children and youth with a platform to heal holistically and communicate authentically in a safe space. Ellen Froese ellenfroese.com Hailing from a dairy farm in the heart of Saskatchewan, young folk singer Ellen Froese is swiftly making her presence known in the Canadian music scene. As a folk artist performing both solo and with her backing band, The Hot Toddies, as well as being a past member of bluegrass/folk group In With The Old, Froese has been balancing multiple projects for the last few years. Whether performing a folk traditional, a rock 'n' roll classic, or the songs she writes, Froese does it with an air of authenticity all tempered with a healthy dose of humour and self-deprecation is proving to be her biggest year yet, with securing main stage slots at festivals (Regina Folk Fest, Gateway, Ness Creek and more); opening for Valdy; sharing a workshop stage with Bruce Cockburn; the addition of her own back-up band; appearances at Halifax Pop Explosion, Folk Music Ontario, and BreakOut West; and several Canadian tours. With four albums behind her, Ellen is eagerly anticipating the 2019 release of her first album with the Hot Toddies. Eekwol Eekwol (Lindsay Knight) is an award-winning hip-hop performing artist in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, originally from Muskoday First Nation, Saskatchewan. Eekwol uses her music and words to spread messages of resistance, revolution and keeping the language, land and culture alive for the next generations. Through her original sound, she displays her activist roots by living and creating as a supporter of both Hip Hop and Indigenous culture and rights. She has successfully completed her Indigenous Music focused Masters Degree at the University of Saskatchewan, which she has taken along with her many years of dedication to hip-hop and created something unique and astounding to give back to the community. Along with music and academic work, Eekwol frequently works with young people across the country as a mentor and helper. She achieves this through performances, workshops, speaking events, conferences and programs. T-Rhyme t-rhyme.com Inspired by the spirit and sound of Golden Era Hip-Hop, Tara "T-Rhyme" Campbell shines a spotlight on her life experiences through poetry and music. Pride in her Denesuline (Dene) and Northern Cree roots has served as motivation for her to become an artist that women and Indigenous youth can relate to. Aside from being a mother, wife and lyricist, she is also the artistic force behind her beaded jewelry line aptly named Beads, Rhymes & Life. In 2016, T-Rhyme released her first original project entitled Diary of a Mad Red Woman. The 5-track EP is a fierce introduction to her signature style and sound as she shares stories of her struggles and perseverance throughout her journey to success. Suncliffs is a four-piece indie/folk collaboration built around the songwriting of Lexi Buzash. Conceived as a duo with bassist Jeremy Putz in 2017, the pair recruited Brigid McNutt on fiddle and banjo, and Justin Hoffman on drums. This Regina-based group strives to create honest and authentic music that resonates with their audience, drawing them in with gentle hooks and disarming lyrics. Suncliffs have played shows such as the Sask Sampler, Cathedral Arts Festival, and recently opened for Elliott BROOD. The band is currently recording their debut EP at St. Onge Studio in Regina, SK.

6 Veracity Veracity grew up in Ottawa, carries a bit of Scotland in her pockets, and has learned to love her Regina. She got into slam poetry because she likes to make friends with things that scare her, like skydiving, improv and eye contact. Veracity won the 2016 Saskatchewan Festival of Words Slam, represented Regina nationally on 2 Canadian Festival of Spoken Word (CFSW) teams, has been published in Oratorealis and was a member of the first annual Saskatoon Poetic Arts Festival ensemble (2017). When not writing odes to people, politics or pizza pops, Veracity also helps organize Regina Word Up spoken word events and performs at fundraisers for things she cares about, like mental health awareness and support for queer youth. Veracity will never have the last word because she is always trying to find a better one. Jolissa Simon Jolissa Simon's background is very mixed up and she has not resided in one place for long, but currently has settled in Regina, SK. By day she works for 7 First Nations communities on a Whole Child Wellness team while simultaneously pursuing a PhD in psychology, and by night, and all hours of the night, she is a painter and a poet. Her creative work is largely inspired by psychology (obviously), the beautiful children she works with, and akin to Taylor Swift, past and current love. MORE INFO Please contact Amanda Minion, our Sponsorship & Communications Manager, for more info or to set up interviews with our Artistic Director & CEO, Sandra Butel or amanda@reginafolkfestival.com REGINAFOLKFESTIVAL.COM