Blues singer Crystal Shawanda says she's done a lot of living since her last album

Jonathan Migneault · CBC News

· Posted: Apr 10, 2025 2:50 PM EDT | Last Updated: 1 infinitesimal ago

Crystal Shawanda says she's done a batch of surviving since she released her past medium 3 years ago.

The blues artist, primitively from Wiikwemkoong connected Manitoulin Island, releases her latest record, Sing Pretty Blues, connected April 11.

"The songs are about, you know, anticipation and resilience," she said. "And unfortunately, I've experienced immoderate nonaccomplishment successful the past mates years."

Shawanda said a mates of songs connected the medium interaction connected addiction, pursuing a friend's decease to a cause overdose.

"When idiosyncratic has an addiction, it's not conscionable that person, it's everybody who loves them," she said.

A household affair

But on with caller losses successful her life, Shawanda says she's besides had a batch of blessed moments performing connected signifier with her hubby and collaborator Dewayne Strobel.

"He believed successful maine truthful overmuch close from the precise start," she said. "And erstwhile you person idiosyncratic who believes successful you, it's similar wings to fly."

More recently, their girl has besides taken to the signifier during their shows.

"This isn't thing that we propulsion connected her. This is what she wants to do. She loves to sing," Shawanda said.

"And I deliberation successful this life, the astir important happening to bash is to beryllium happy. And if this is thing that makes her happy, past I'm gladsome that I person the acquisition to archer her and pass her astir what's successful store."

Strobel said their philharmonic concern compliments their marriage.

"She's an astonishing songwriter," helium said.

"But sometimes she'll constitute an thought and it'll beryllium 7 minutes worthy of this thought and I person to person her into turning that into a three-and-a-half infinitesimal song."

Shawanda and Strobel unrecorded successful Nashville, wherever they besides tally a euphony label, New Sun Records. 

The statement takes its sanction from the English meaning of Shawanda's past name.