AS HEARD ON THE ...
DOMANIQUE GRANT
For the full conversation , listen to the May 11 , 2022 episode
CM : When you talk about visualization and manifesting what you want , a lot people think that they simply do that and then just sit back and it ’ ll happen . But you ’ ve put in the work to make opportunities happen . So , once you had the vision of what you wanted in your career , how did you make it happen ?
Domanique Grant : I can say that a lot of the next steps for me after seeing what I wanted and really writing it out is just throwing myself into scenarios where I can increase the chances of it happening . So , when I was like , “ Hey , I really want to work with these particular people ,” I just booked a bus ticket to New York when I barely had any money and I just started showing up to places and talking to people and approaching people , and meeting and building that network .
That is a really important point that you made because when a lot people hear about something like meditation and visualization , they ’ re like , “ Oh , I saw this thing , I wrote it down – the secret to life – and I gave it a week and it didn ’ t work !” But it ’ s also about a lot of patience . I have a lot of days where I ’ m like , “ Man , is this thing going to work out the way that I want it to ?” The thing that keeps me going is realizing that you just have to focus on growing one percent every day , and taking one action every day that ’ s going to move you forward . And so , I say visualize and create a general idea of what it is you want to do , then take steps and go to the places you want to be without waiting for other people to create those opportunities . Then you just have to have patience and a level of faith and trust that you ’ re in the exact place that you ’ re supposed to be and what ’ s supposed to show up is going to .
When I tell you about this idea of also being ready — if you stay ready , you don ’ t have to get ready . So , a really quick story : Les Brown is one of the top-five speakers in the world and I just had a dream of performing or opening for him , because he ’ s been a huge inspiration for me in how I ’ ve overcome some adversity and challenge . So , I was sitting in the lobby of the Sheraton Hotel during Canadian Music Week , stressing out about an application for a festival , and he literally just walked into the lobby – he doesn ’ t even live in Canada – wearing a Mickey Mouse t-shirt and asks
me if I know of a vegan restaurant . I ’ m like , what the hell is going on ? Absolutely nuts . And I was like , you ’ ve been practicing your set for years for what it would be like to open for him and this is your opportunity . I just mentioned I had all his tapes on my phone , loved his work , and if there was any way I could support him while he was there . He literally goes , “ You ’ re an artist ? You ’ re a singer ? I want you to open for me .” Without any questions or hearing my music .
Thérèse Lanz of
MARES OF THRACE
For the full conversation , listen to the May 4 , 2022 episode
CM : In terms of making the new , self-produced record , The Exile , which comes a decade after the last LP , the Polaris Prize-shortlisted The Pilgrimage , how did the two experiences compare ?
Thérèse Lanz : So , on The Pilgrimage we got an advance from our record label ( Sonic Uynon ), which is a thing that happens sometimes when you ’ re a musician and very , very fortunate [ laughs ]. So , we got this big ol ’ advance and I was strutting around feeling like I was cool and hit the big time . I was explaining this to my mom , what an advance was , and was like , “ Well yeah , we have to pay it back .” And she ’ s like , “ Oh , is that how that works ?” [ laughs ]
So , we went to Chicago to the studio of legendary doom metal producer Sanford Parker and recorded it there . It was a wonderful experience , it was really , really cool , and it was really worthwhile . I loved it ; loved what we did with Sanford and it ’ ll always be a cherished memory .
This time around , because I didn ’ t know if anybody would give a shit about my band , I figured we should do it the most economical , DIY way possible . I ’ d loved all the recording that Casey [ Rogers , bandmate ] has done for us in the past , so he was like , “ Why don ’ t I just engineer and produce ?” and we recorded it in his apartment . It was not like going to Chicago and recording with Sanford Parker in the sense that I was just wearing pajama pants and we ’ d watch Star Trek and I petted Casey ’ s cat [ laughs ]. Casey ’ s girlfriend , Amanda , who is also a super talented musician and
did some backing vocals , she brought me tea and hors d ’ oeuvre . So , it was very relaxed and casual . But , I don ’ t think the end product suffered in quality for it . I actually think it turned out comparable .
Listen to new episodes of the Canadian Musician Podcast every Wednesday at
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