WHO’S WHO: Crissi Cochrane – Music to our Ears
By Mike Butler
I am always honoured to feature young, blossoming talent here in my column. There’s so much of it here in the Valley and to have the opportunity to share it with my readers is a wonderful feeling. Having just finished directing a production of Grease, with a cast of mostly young adults, I cannot tell you how awed I was at the talented singers, dancers, and actors I was able to work with. And over the years I have been blessed to meet and write about many budding stars and this Who’s Who is no exception. Please take a moment and meet Crissi Cochrane!
Crissi is a pop/jazz singer-songwriter, originally from New Minas, but currently living in Windsor, Ontario. She studied Music Business at NSCC in Dartmouth and lived in Halifax for a few years before eventually relocating to Canada’s southernmost city, across the river from Detroit. She used to play folk music, but after getting immersed in the music of Detroit (jazz, soul, Motown), she’s taken up a groovier playing style (also thanks to the acquisition of her dad’s old 1964 Fender Jaguar). For anyone who has visited me at work at TAN Coffee, you know that pop, R&B, Motown, soul, and jazz music are some of my favourite genres so Crissi’s music spoke to me from the first second I tuned in.
Crissi was fortunate to discover her love of music and her wonderful talent at an early age. She states, “I started writing, recording, and performing as a student at Horton High School and loved the rush of getting on stage. Over the past ten years I’ve released two albums and three EPs and performed hundreds of shows, turning my passion into a full-time job. It’s a precarious living, but I believe that music is an essential part of life, and that there is room for everyone to make music. I love that every day is different as a self-managed musician, and on any given day, I could be writing emails or songs, doing interviews or recording sessions, practicing or studying, designing or performing, touring, or just running to the post office. I also love having creative control over my music and being accountable to my listeners and myself alone.â€
When Crissi is not playing, writing, or living and breathing music, she’s got many other hobbies to keep herself busy. She records a podcast twice a week with her husband Michael Paul called *Get Collected*, where they talk about music, poetry and politics, and share some of their latest recordings and upcoming shows. Crissi has also starting production on a new album at long last! She says, “I hope to have it out by the end of 2017. I try to learn something new every day and recently discovered Coursera, an online platform that offers free courses in a huge variety of subjects. I’ve enrolled in classes on audio engineering and music production, and plan to take some courses on photography and video production in the new year.â€
Crissi grew up in the Annapolis Valley, so it will always feel like home to her. She loves the natural beauty, the abundance of trees, the fresh air, and the kind people. As a person with Acadian heritage, she loves being near Grand Pre. Please keep an eye out for Crissi as she frequently returns to the Valley and always has a show planned!
On future plans she states, “I hope to keep making music and sharing the joy of music with as many people as often as I can in this life. I don’t have stars in my eyes about celebrity and I think that baffles people somewhat, but really, I just want to have a steady career, meaningful relationships, and the knowledge that my existence has helped make the world a little brighter.†Trust me Crissi, it certainly has and will continue to do so. Thank you for your talent and for being you! All the best!
