WHAT IS PULSE?
Pulse Music Journal is Saskatchewan’s hub for music indulgers. We ‘eat/sleep/breathe’ the music and entertainment industry – plug into our outlet while we highlight new music, recap live performances, interview the biggest names, connect with local legends, and the newest initiatives surrounding our local music scene. We are honoured to be a leading cultural staple in the Saskatchewan music and entertainment scene.
WE SUPPORT SASKATCHEWAN’S ENTERTAINMENT & MUSIC SCENE
Whether it’s reaching out to a newly released project, musician or creating a spotlight for local talent to be heard on any of our stages, as well as opportunities to be heard opening for larger acts on a full-venue stage. We look forward to assist and launch newest concepts that strongly support the local music in this province. The local music scene is super important to us – we are a small province, but we have big dreams. Let’s grow and support each other – putting Saskatchewan on the map for premium music and entertainment experience.
AS THE STARS EXPLODE, THE STARS ALIGN FOR THE NORTH SOUND
Passion, story telling, and raw talent – that’s The North Sound. The North Sound operates as a creative outlet for Forrest Eaglespeaker and his partner Nevada Freistadt. This energy was created as a way to share stories while keeping true to Forrest’s Blackfoot identity and traditions from Treaty 7 Territory with the support from Nevada. The North Sound has had three singles reach number one on the Indigenous Music Countdown as well as Saskatchewan’s MBC Radio, and has received three nominations from the SCMA; two for Roots Artist of the Year and one for Emerging Artist of the Year. Recently, The North Sound was a major part of the 2020 Saskatchewan Music Awards – nominations for Roots/Folk Artist of the Year, Indigenous Artist of the Year, and they had the opportunity to close out the virtual awards celebration with the very-fitting song, Better Days. The North Sound celebrated the evening with a win – Indigenous Artist of the Year. The duo have been as genuine as it gets, while allowing their chemistry show through their songs and performances. Properly representing Saskatchewan to the fullest and we could not be more proud to be able to watch them grow.
Forrest Eaglespeaker of The North Sound took some time to join us and chat about his musical outlet, how he would describe The North Sound, recording with Nolita Studios, the themes in his new album ‘As The Stars Explode’, being a role model in the community, who influences his life, their Canadian Country Radio debut in 2020, and so much more.
We also learn about his process of creating music with Nevada (his life/music partner), the future family band, their recent experiences with the Saskatchewan Music Awards, and future goals for The North Sound.
FOR THE FIRST TIME LISTENER – WHAT IS THE NORTH SOUND?
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR MUSIC?
THE NORTH SOUND: The North Sound is a music project that I started as a way to share my stories. I wanted to create something that was fluid and open to change without needing to restart from scratch every time there was a lineup change or someone left the band. Since its inception in 2014 The North Sound has come in many forms from being a solo singer songwriter, a trio, a 4 piece, a 6 piece band to where we are now as a duo consisting of myself and my partner Nevada. The sound is rooted in the music that came out of the major hubs from the 60’s 70’s and 80’s where experimentation and fusion was, in my opinion, at its best and brings it into the present day. Being familiarly unfamiliar is, while not being a goal, something we have stepped into unintentionally.
THE FULL-LENGTH ALBUM ‘AS THE STARS EXPLODE’ WAS RELEASED ON OCTOBER 23RD 2020.
HOW WAS IT WORKING WITH JESSE WEIMAN AND NOLITA STUDIOS?
THE NORTH SOUND: Working with Jesse was great. We could not be more different when it comes to music and that is probably the biggest contributing factor to the sound we created together. Our tastes are probably as opposite as it gets but we are both very curious and open people that are always willing to learn from and work with others. We pushed each other out of our comfort zones to try new things and I think we are just at the beginning of what we are capable of doing together. I also can say that he’s the only producer I’ve worked with that not only can handle my intensity but also has his own intensity that match’s mine. We had a lot of fun making this record.
Click image to listen to ‘As The Stars Explode’ by The North Sound
Artwork by: Nevada Freistadt
‘AS THE STARS EXPLODE’ TOUCHES ON THEMES OF ADDICTION, SOBRIETY, MENTAL HEALTH, AND INTERGENERATIONAL TRAUMA.
THE FIRST TRACK “FULL DISCLOSURE” LEADS THE LISTENER INTO THE ALBUM WHILE LISTING OFF ‘INTENTIONS FOR THE BODY OF WORK. THE LAST LINE “INTENDED FOR ME, AND MADE FOR YOU” OPENS UP THE IDEA THAT YOU NEEDED TO MAKE THIS ALBUM FOR YOURSELF. IS THIS YOUR MOST PERSONAL RELEASE? AND WHAT DO YOU HOPE YOU BRING TO LIGHT FOR LISTENERS OF THE ALBUM?
THE NORTH SOUND: I dont think it’s my most personal release to date because that’s a hard thing to really gauge. I’ve always strived to write music that comes from a very personal place. But As The Stars Explode has a unique energy to it that I haven’t created in the past. I took a lot of personal risks on this record and scratched a few itches I’ve had lingering for awhile.
As far as what I hope to bring to light for the listeners, I just want to set an example of honesty and authenticity. I know that the themes of this record and the experiences I’ve had in my life are not unique or special, a lot of people have a similar story or similar pieces and I just hope that me sharing my story through this medium helps someone else come to terms with theirs. Being held in place by the chains of addiction or trauma or whatever it may be that has a hold on you is not easy and is very isolating.
“THOSE THAT HAD IT, LOST IT, AND GOT IT BACK”
– THE NORTH SOUND
YOU ARE A ROLE MODEL TO THE MUSIC AND INDIGENOUS COMMUNITY IN SASKATCHEWAN.
WHO ARE YOUR ROLE MODELS? WHAT HAVE YOU TAKE FROM THEIR TEACHINGS OR ARTISTRY THEN APPLIED TO YOUR OWN ART AND WAY OF LIFE?
THE NORTH SOUND: I appreciate that. I try to set a tone of honesty and authenticity so I gratefully and humbly accept that compliment. As far as my role models or people that inspire me it’s usually the folx that people swore off or gave up on before they stepped into their greatness. Or those that had it, lost it, then got it back. The fighters, the strugglers, the hopeless and the tragic. The Steve Earl’s and Jason Isbell’s of the world. The other 2 people who have inspired me in a big way are my uncle Ron and my father in law Darrell. They showed me what it means to be an artist and a musician first and to always keep the love for creating honest music at the forefront. The rest of it will happen the way its going to happen. And probably the most influential person in my life was my grandmother. It took a woman to raise me into a man and the person I am today exists because she showed me.
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YOUR WORK REACH CANADIAN COUNTRY RADIO IN 2020.
TELL US THE STORY OF WHEN YOU FIRST HEARD YOUR MUSIC ON CANADIAN COUNTRY RADIO? HOW DID IT FEEL TO HAVE THE SUCCESS THAT YOU DID?
THE NORTH SOUND: It was surreal for multiple reasons. I was honestly very opposed to the idea of radio for a very long time. Truth be told I probably would have never pursued radio if it never opened itself up to me first. I like the idea of doing what I’m doing on the radio and I’m actually pretty surprised at the amount of radio stations that picked us up this year to be honest. With that being said I am grateful for the radio stations and radio programmers that did add us to their rotations, interviewed us and that continue to play us because I think a lot of my old ideas about radio came from years of insecurity and fear. I think I’m getting over a lot of that now.
“HAVING AS MANY CHILDREN AS WE NEED BAND MEMBERS”
– THE NORTH SOUND
2020 WAS A BUSY YEAR FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY
– ADDING THE NEW ALBUM TO YOUR DISCOGRAPHY AND WELCOMING A NEW CHILD TO THE FAMILY. YOU CAN SAY THE NORTH SOUND IS A FAMILY AFFAIR. HOW DID YOU START PERFORMING WITH YOUR LIFE/MUSIC PARTNER NEVADA? ARE YOU HOPING TO TRANSFORM THE NORTH SOUND INTO A 4-PIECE FAMILY BAND?
THE NORTH SOUND: Ya were basically planning on having as many children as we need band members ahah. Just kidding, but for real Nevada actually taught me a lot about singing. She’s always been a gifted singer naturally which is the exact opposite of myself. I was not born a singer whatsoever. I had to train myself and learn how to do what I do now and Nevada was huge in that process for me. Nevada has always recorded on my albums but the live part was only there every once in awhile. I guess she just got bit by the performing bug last year and so we decided to make it official.
THE NORTH SOUND WAS NOMINATED FOR TWO 2020 SASKATCHEWAN MUSIC AWARDS.
BEFORE YOU MAKE IT ‘BIG’, IT IS ALWAYS IMPORTANT TO LAY THE GROUND WORK IN YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY, AND YOU HAVE DONE JUST THAT. WHAT DOES IT FEEL LIKE TO BE RECOGNIZED FOR BOTH ROOTS/FOLK ARTIST OF THE YEAR AND INDIGENOUS ARTIST OF THE YEAR?
THE NORTH SOUND: It’s a great feeling. Saskatchewan has always put out such top notch talent from the artists working today to as far back as the 50’s and to be recognized by the community for the work I pour my heart and soul into is really something special. Especially as someone who has been here on and off my whole life. I’m so grateful to the people of this province and music community for embracing my family and I the way they have.
“Better Days” by The North Sound for the 2020 Saskatchewan Music Awards (start video at 45:05)
Video by: Matt Smith / Audio by: Barrett Ross
ON JANUARY 24TH 2021, THE SASKATCHEWAN MUSIC AWARDS CEREMONY AIRED.
THIS WAS A PRE-RECORDED AWARD CEREMONY WITH SPECIAL LIVE-PERFORMANCES THROUGHOUT. YOU HAD THE HONOUR OF BEING ABLE TO PERFORM AND REPRESENT FOR SASKATCHEWAN. TELL US ABOUT THE PROCESS OF PERFORMING FOR THE EVENT. HOW DID IT FEEL KNOWING THAT ALL OF SASKATCHEWAN WOULD BE WATCHING?
THE NORTH SOUND: Filming the performance was awesome! It felt somewhat normal in an anything but normal time. We filmed and recorded at Barrett Ross’ studio and Matt Smith did the video and, you wanna talk about a dream team, that’s it right there. Again, I’m so grateful for everything that has come our way and I’m just trying to keep pushing myself to be a better human being, a better songwriter and to not lose the spark that made me want to write songs in the first place.
“Better Days” by The North Sound
Video by: saucemydude
2020 WAS QUITE THE YEAR FOR THE NORTH SOUND.
WHAT CAN WE EXPECT FOR 2021? NEW MUSIC? OR ANY EXCITING NEWS THAT WE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT?
THE NORTH SOUND: Yes, definitely new music. As much as we can possibly do in this time, we’re going to do it. There has been no shortage of creative energy flowing and we’re working on some really cool stuff that I am already super excited about sharing with the world!
All photos inside article by @mattbradenphoto
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE NORTHSOUND, VISIT WWW.THENORTHSOUNDMUSIC.COM
UPCOMING EVENTS
WHAT EVENTS WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO…
LEARN MORE ABOUT WHAT’S TO COME…
