are bea U tif U l

By m aung t in

Alittle voice inside of you resurfaces every now and then, but reality overcomes it and pushes it to a place where it remains waiting for freedom. For many, this gift becomes suppressed and morphs into the refrain: “I could have.” The courage to move forward, allow your inner voice to take shape and let your creativity flourish takes much hard work and balance. For Leanne Goose, listening to her inner voice allowed her to harness her love for music. At the age of twelve, she began writing and singing, and today that very voice has blossomed and captures the hearts of thousands. Passion for music in her family goes back three generations. Her grandmother inspired and mentored her father Louie Goose to become a musician. The memories of those years are still very vivid for Leanne as she explains, “there was always music in the house, somebody played the guitar, a drummer drumming or a base player who would fill the air in every corner of the house with music…and soon I found myself falling into it”. Louie Goose has been a musician for over 48 years. Today, at the age of sixty he continues to entertain audiences. Last year at the End of the Road Music Festival, his appearance on stage was cheered on with much applause as he took his audience to a place of wonders with his melodious songs.

Perseverance, sacrifice and hope paved the road for Leanne’s success. There was a moment in her life when she had to put music aside in order to raise her family. Soon after, the passion found her again. When it did, it would not let her go and drove her to the height of her current success. Eight years ago, Leanne went on a journey that would soon define her destiny as an artist. Initially, she began taking small steps by applying for grants from various organizations. She attained grants from Northwest Territories Arts Council, Canada Council for Arts and Inuvialuit Education Fund. Such support allowed her to travel, learn and become more acquainted with the theoretical aspect of music composition, voice, performance, and musical instruments. At the aboriginal music camp, she learned and breathed music and established a network of artists that shaped and mentored her passion. She furthered her study by attending the University of Manitoba and St. Germain Music Studio where she learned about voice, music theory, composition; how to play the piano, and the guitar.

Gradually, Leanne began to understand what her needs were as an artist. She had to understand herself as an artist before she was able to learn how to utilize the gift she was blessed with. When asked about this, Leanne explains, “I learned it by asking myself what I like, How I like it, What tones I like to hear, What keys I sing in, The way I am going to inhale and exhale the next breath over a word or under a word. All these things have to be put into context…music is like learning a new language.”

Her first album, entitled “Anywhere,” received much praise and was nominated by many music award ceremonies, including the Aboriginal Peoples Choice Music Awards and Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards. Success of the album opened up a world of opportunity for Leanne to travel across Canada and the U.S. Being able to perform live has brought about new experiences, giving her a chance to explore and learn how to read the crowd, as well as network with other artists.

Creativity comes out of the blue Leanne says, “Some of the best ideas come at unexpected times, I remember sitting on the bathroom floor of the hotel with a notebook writing down music.” She also gains strength from the knowledge that all of her experiences have allowed her to grow as an artist and overcome many obstacles and fears. She explains that, “playing in your hometown is comforting but playing in a stadium with 2500 people looking back at you is a whole different experience. Lights on, cameras going, flashes all over the place…adrenalin rush kicks in, your nerves all out of whack and all you are thinking of is “what ifs”…this is called stage fright and I have experienced it. This experience has completely changed the way that I am and who I am.”

Her latest album titled “Got You Covered” is a country music album that touches on the themes of childhood, relationships, love and hurt. The title of the album was a concept inspired by her fans. This is also an album dedicated to all her fans and individuals who have gotten her to where she is now.

Geographical isolation of Inuvik was a challenge for Leanne as an emerging artist. There are many talented artists in Inuvik, but the lack of infrastructure and support is an obstacle to their growth. To overcome this barrier, Leanne has setup workshop seminars allowing individuals to learn about every facet of creating music. In the workshops, she incorporates learning to play different instruments, voice refine ment, and song writing. This basic knowledge allows individuals to understand their strength and weaknesses so that they are able to develop with time and focus on the next step.

Leanne is planning on expanding these workshops so that they will help individuals promote themselves using interactive media. For instance, she envisions the artists in Inuvik could increase their use of Facebook and Youtube to garner exposure. Creativity and business go hand-in-hand and emerge as an essential tandem in order for artists to survive. Leanne explains, “when I decided to go through with the process eight years ago, I was not in it for the pay. Going to school, paying for the rent, making sure bills are covered and trying to focus on my goals required a lot of devotion and time…it’s a completely different lifestyle…but now it’s different, you have to incorporate talent with business”. For any true artist who performs with their heart and soul, building a base is paramount to their success.

Leanne is in it for the long haul and shares that her next album will be country-rock based, with a hint of blues and a touch of classical music, giving it a funky and organic feel. For all the aspiring artists out there, Leanne provides them with sage advice: “go after your dreams. Trust your gut feeling and where you are going with your music. Practice as much as you can. Have a strong belief that you are going to get to where you want to go. You are your own best critic. Watch your attitude because it’s a treat to work with real great people.”∞