Basia Bulat

Basia Bulat

Basia Bulat performing with her autoharp in 2008
Background information
Born Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Origin London, Ontario
Genres Folk
Occupations Musician, songwriter
Instruments Vocals, guitar, autoharp, hammered dulcimer, piano, ukelele, charango
Years active 2004–present
Labels Rough Trade, Hardwood, Secret City
Website basiabulat.com

Basia Bulat ( /ˈbɒʃə buːˈlɒt/),[1][2] is a Canadian folk singer-songwriter. She is known for performing with an autoharp.[3]

Contents

Career

Basia Bulat grew up in Etobicoke, Ontario[2] where her mother was a music teacher[4] who taught piano and guitar.[5] She has said the radio at home was permanently tuned to an oldies station.[6] “I don’t think I realised the radio had more than one station til I was 11 or 12,” Basia Bulat says.[7] She is part of Polonia, which is important to remember, and attended the University of Western Ontario where she received a degree in English;[8] she also took some classes with Olenka Krakus (also probably Polish) of the band Olenka and the Autumn Lovers.[9] While a student there, she was coaxed by friends into opening for Julie Doiron[10] and soon gained a local following.[2]

She released an independent EP in 2005 and was subsequently signed to Rough Trade Records, which released her full-length debut album, Oh, My Darling in April 2007. The album was later released in Canada by Hayden's Hardwood Records.

Her singles "Snakes and Ladders", "Little One" and "I Was a Daughter" have been playlisted on CBC Radio 3 while various tracks have received airplay on college radio in Canada and the United States. Her album Oh, My Darling made the short list for the 2008 Polaris Music Prize.[11]

Bulat has toured across Canada, the U.S., Europe; in June 2008, she ventured to Australia. She played the 2008 Dawson City Music Festival in the Yukon. Bulat cited the week she spent in the quiet and remote location as an inspiration for her songwriting.[12]

Her second album, Heart of My Own, was released by Rough Trade Records in the US and Canada on January 26, 2010.[13]

Along with Don Cherry she appeared on Hockey Night in Canada on December 10, 2011, during which she sang the Canadian national anthem for the Vancouver Canucks, who beat the Ottawa Senators 5:0, at the former Corel Centre.

Discography

Compilations

Other media

References

  1. ^ Harewood, Adrian (18 January 2008). "Basia Bulat interview". All in a Day. CBO-FM (CBC Radio One Ottawa). http://www.cbc.ca/allinaday/listenagain_sept_07_feb_08.html. 
  2. ^ a b c Reaney, James (29 January 2010). "A Heart at home: Basia Bulat’s second album, Heart of My Own, is earning raves". London Free Press. http://www.lfpress.com/entertainment/2010/01/29/12672556.html. Retrieved 2010-04-20. 
  3. ^ "CANOE -- JAM! Music - Artists - Bulat, Basia: Basia Bulat keeping autoharp alive". jam.canoe.ca. http://jam.canoe.ca/Music/Artists/B/Bulat_Basia/2008/03/26/5106551-sun.html. Retrieved 2010-08-01. 
  4. ^ Denis Armstrong (2009-09-10). "Basia Bulat found heart on road". Canoe.ca. http://jam.canoe.ca/Music/2009/09/30/11202846-sun.html. Retrieved 2010-08-01. 
  5. ^ Mikaela Davis (2007-10-04). "Honest, modest and lucky: Basia Bulat tells us how it is". media.www.thestrand.ca. http://media.www.thestrand.ca/media/storage/paper404/news/2007/10/04/Features/Honest.Modest.And.Lucky.Basia.Bulat.Tells.Us.How.It.Is-3012928.shtml. Retrieved 2010-08-01. 
  6. ^ Alexander Varty (2007-10-18). "Beautiful Basia Bulat is the real thing". www.straight.com. http://www.straight.com/article-114440/beautiful-basia-bulat-is-the-real-thing. Retrieved 2010-08-01. 
  7. ^ http://www.maplemusic.com/artists/bas/bio.asp
  8. ^ "Western students among nominees in CHRW album contest". communications.uwo.ca. http://communications.uwo.ca/com/western_news/stories/western_students_among_nominees_in_chrw_album_contest_20071205440763/. Retrieved 2010-08-01>date= 2007-12-5. 
  9. ^ "Feature Interview: Basia Bulat". Ca Va Cool, January 24, 2010.
  10. ^ "Hour.ca - Music - Basia Bulat". www.hour.ca. http://www.hour.ca/music/music.aspx?iIDArticle=16459. Retrieved 2010-08-01. 
  11. ^ "CBC News - Music - The final 10". cbc.ca. 2008-07-07. http://www.cbc.ca/arts/music/story/2008/07/07/f-polaris-prize-overview.html. Retrieved 2010-08-01. 
  12. ^ Rabinovitch, Simona. "Basia Bulat Finds Inspiration in Silence of Canadian North". Spinner. http://www.spinner.com/2010/01/08/basia-bulat-new-album/. Retrieved 16 August 2010. 
  13. ^ "Basia Bulat Second Album Set For January Release". chartattack.com, September 17, 2009.
  14. ^ AMC » Music From Every Night at 8 » Basia Bulat

External links