Here is a delightful new acoustic version of Mimi O’Bonsawin’s recent single ‘I Wish I Was a Farmer’. It’s stripped back and raw, allowing O’Bonsawin’s pure voice to be the focus. Accompanied just by her partner’s rustic percussion and her rhythmic finger-picking, she delivers an engaging vocal melody. There’s a lovable directness to O’Bonsawin’s words, through which she presents the idea of nurturing a simple wish for a different life and the hope that this wish might be fulfilled: “I’m not a tortured soul // I’ve got some dreams…I wish I was a farmer // A nurturing soul // Taped into something bigger // Bigger than my selfish goals // I could take all of my dreams // Make ’em real instead…I wish I was a Farmer, With earth under my nails.” O’Bonsawin shares about the song: “‘I Wish I was a Farmer’ is a manifestation song. While writing this song I imagined a life balanced with living on the land and making music. Shortly after writing and recording, we found ourselves in a new homestead doing exactly that. For me, growing food and writing songs are very much the same. It starts with a seed, a story, or a thought…and with the proper care it can blossom into something beautiful. Music has always been healing to me and has always been a friend I can turn to. This song is the perfect example of that.”
O’Bonsawin describes how the video was put together: “During the pandemic, we moved from the big city to a super rural community. Our neighbours have a 200-year-old barn that we thought would be the perfect spot to film this acoustic version of I Wish I Was A Farmer. Directed and shot by my partner Ryan Schurman (also playing in the video) he wanted to capture something that looked and sounded like us. We skipped through the wooded trail that links our house to our neighbours with our instruments and captured this performance. Although we grow our own food and work the land, we are not farmers. We are on the road most of the summer…. so the song rings true. You might also catch the matching outfits. We got those at the start of our summer tour when we played a show in LA. It has that quilt country vibe I just love.” Indeed, the video is the perfect accompaniment to this acoustic performance. From the aforementioned matching outfits and the ramshackle state of the barn, to the ingenious use of an old plank of wood for percussion, this feels authentic. Furthermore, it’s a joyful performance and O’Bonsawin smiles her way through the song; the obvious pleasure she takes in playing and singing is infectious.
Hailing from north-eastern Ontario, Mimi O’Bonsawin brings the sounds of the forest and the earth to her music. Her stories and reflective lyrics are set to acoustic roots layers with catchy melodies and harmonies, blending the old and the new. The original version of ‘I Wish I Was a Farmer’ is the third single from the forthcoming new album ‘Willow’, which is due for release in 2023. While you’re waiting, take in this lovely acoustic recording.
