Larysa Musick – well, what chance did she have but to become a singer-songwriter? It’s ok, it’s a comment she acknowledges herself – although originally she seemed destined to be a poet and an illustrator-author. Yet here we are, finding the Manitoban proffering her debut single, originally released in Womens’ History Month, appropriately enough with the producers, engineer, artwork photographer, and four out of five of the performers behind the song being women or non-binary identifying, including award-winning fiddler/multi-instrumentalist Sierra Noble (they/them), vocalist/guitarist Madeleine Roger (she/her), and banjoist Alison De Groot (she/her). It was more than a symbolic move or a gesture against the gender imbalance in the leadership positions in the Canadian music business – it gave the right environment to allow the song to flow, as Larysa Musick has it: “working with Sierra Noble, a non-binary identifying producer, and a team of majority women on my first recording was the environment I felt I needed to perform at my best. I was right. Sierra mentored me and supported my vision as a budding producer.”
Larysa Musick is a mezzo-soprano who sings with a vibrato that may make some think of another folk singer from an earlier age. Her sound is a strongly traditional folk sound. Musick was inspired to write about Joan of Arc because she embodied, for her, a fearless strength and a conviction that she would do what she had to to achieve her aims. As Larysa Musick explains: “Joan of Arc’s story inspired me to think critically about femininity, masculinity, and leadership. Why do I feel more masculine when I’m assertive? Why do I experience imposter syndrome when stepping into a leadership role as a co-producer? With help from my team, I overcame limiting beliefs and built confidence too.”
