A decade ago, popular blues-playing women were hard to come by. Fast forward to today and there’s no shortage of endlessly talented women in the blues getting gigs and making headlines.
Two strong blueswomen like Fort Saskatchewan-raised Jenie Thai and southern Ontario’s Miss Emily are storming musical arenas and receiving high-fives from all directions.
Jenie Thai and Miss Emily, destined to be crossover successes, close off their five-stop Women in Blues Tour of British Columbia and Alberta with a concert at the Arden Theatre on Friday, Oct. 27.
Thai, who gained widespread notoriety in the region before moving to Ontario, dominates a wide range of styles forging together blues, contemporary R&B and soul. She’s steadily built a reputation with the likes of Downchild Blues Band who invited her to support their Massey Hall concerts with Daniel Lanois.
Instead, Miss Emily is a powerhouse vocalist with a sultry, edgy sound who has carried a torch for blues and jazz for more than 20 years.
“Soul and blues are the backbone of what I do. I tend to choose the traditional styles in those genres where you get sadness. My songs are about love lost but also gaining hope. I’m big about pushing boundaries, taking relationships and stripping down the layers,” said Miss Emily.
Her latest album, Defined by Love, released in 2022, was the result of a divorce that focuses on themes of hope, celebration and love. She describes the record as “self-soothing.”
“It was partly written during COVID, and it forced me to work through the stuff and be my own hero. There were things I couldn’t control, and I didn’t want these events to define me for a day. I wanted to work through it as fast as I could and music is an amazing medicine,” the singer-songwriter explained.
The duo’s paths first crossed at the Maple Blues Awards when Miss Emily first saw Thai play. They quickly discovered that the blues scene is small, but supportive and encouraging.
“For a while we had the same agent, and he came up with the idea for this tour. We finish the first leg in November, and through it we’ve become fast friends. We respect each other and lean on each other. Jenie is an amazing talent and an organized band leader.”
During the Arden concert, the duo will perform two independent acts showcasing their diverse talents. While Miss Emily performs songs from Defined by Love and a few older charts, Thai is performing a roster of new music.
“We have a great deal of respect for each other. But when I’m on stage I run around on stilettos whereas Jenie sits behind a piano. We are deeply passionate about the music and we’re bringing our own original music and covers.”
The Women in Blues concert starts at 7:30 p.m. at the Arden Theatre, 5 St. Anne Street. Tickets are all-inclusive at $50. Call 780-459-1542 or online at tickets.stalbert.ca
