Angela Saini

"Massively Talented."
Monica Winfield, Host BBC Radio Leicester - BBC Radio Leicester

There's long history of folk music in Toronto, including back to Yorkville in the 60's, the Riverboat Cafe, and early appearances by Silvia & Ian Tyson, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young. Today Toronto has open stages, the Tranzac, Free Times Cafe, Dakota Tavern, and draws musicians reflecting folk genres from around the world. While the Toronto folk scene is diverse and difficult to pin down (DIY folk song-writer / touring artist Angela Saini and retro-folk-80's cover band McFlies are both honourable mentions) here are five folk bands definitely worth the watch in Toronto. - blogTO

It’s nine o’clock on a Tuesday night, December 2014, in The Horseshoe Tavern on Nu Music Nite and the first act take the stage to an impressively sized crowd. This is not the first time that we’ve seen Angela Saini, once of Calgary, but now based in Toronto. Seen previously at C’est What in a pre NXNE gig last year and then more recently as the support for the filming of Paint’s set at the Cameron House. The stark difference in terms of maturity and confidence levels between those two sets are among the reasons for her well-deserved inclusion in this Spotlight series.

Having just returned from successful solo tour of the UK, Holland and Germany, Saini took the stage wearing a black top and red skirt, which provided a vivid contrast with her blond hair, accompanied by David Sufrin (drums), Jeff Scale on bass and Francois Martin on lead guitar and vocals. Playing songs mostly drawn from her two albums, ‘Cake and Callouses’ (2012) and ‘Leap’ (2013), Saini opened with ‘Dear Diary’, a song about a mid/quarter life crisis, but which oozed with positive reflection. The love song ‘Stay Here With Me’ followed and demonstrated an increased vocal confidence. What came after was a new song, ‘Sweet Sweet Mouth’, which highlighted the very good band she had on stage and included some excellent guitar fills. Next up was ‘Little Black Dress’, a really great song, featuring some quieter interludes, while showcasing Saini’s soulful vocal range and then, a change of guitars for ‘Here I Go Again’, a song about being terrified but doing something anyway, that had a feel which bordered on country and featured some sweet backing vocals for the first time in the set.

Next up was ‘Living On The Bright Side’, which opened with some subtle drum high hat work and morphed into a tune with elements of the Cure’s ‘Lovesong’, but which then developed into an interactive offstage sing a-long with the crowd, which bodes well for the future. With ‘Something Like I'm Beautiful’, taken from ‘Leap’, it was very easy to for everyone present to appreciate the vulnerability that arises from being in a new city and to face the challenges of making new friends and more without being burned and the song was beautifully, yet powerfully delivered. The closer 'U Turn’ represented everything good about the set, a lead guitar introduction, an infectious hook line, impassioned delivery, a strong confident vocal and a gradual build that was completed with a terrific lead solo at the end.

Whether acoustic, electric, solo or with a larger band, Saini is instantly likeable, with some tremendous new material on the way and will be coming soon to a venue near you. We politely suggest that you don’t miss her. - Danger! Canadian Content

Having missed out on last year's NXNE while in Europe, Angela Saini has ensured that this year, her Western Canada tour would finish up on time for NXNE 2013. Originally from Calgary, Angela now calls Toronto home, bringing her solo acoustic and full band pop sounds to stages of all sizes. Her current CD is titled, "Cake and Callouses" with a new CD "Leap" nearing its official release date.

Following NXNE, Angela Saini has an East Cost Canada tour, a European tour, and a trip to Nashville.

While still on tour, Angela scheduled an interview with Examiner.com about her Toronto NXNE showcase.

Q:
Let's chat about the tour. Hopefully it's going well. How many tour stops have you made, and how many to go?

Angela Saini:
I am 5 shows in, not including my 17 performances with VIA Rail. I have 4 more to go until I hit Toronto again.

Q:
As you've been touring, how has the audience response been so far?

Angela Saini:
Really good! My favourite solo show so far was in Victoria. It was a very unassuming coffee bar, but the crowd turnout and response was so positive and just good vibes all around. I love that place (starting to plan my retirement there, haha). I also have to include my show in Calgary with a full band. 3 members of my old band Supernal, and we hadn't hit the stage together for 7 years. And an old high school friend filled it out as a 4 piece. It was totally a high school reunion and such a blast!

Q:
You're travelling with the "Cake and Callouses" CD?

Angela Saini:
Yes. I am in the process of sending out the advance copies of my new EP "Leap" before I release it this fall. That was part of the deal with my fan-funding campaign, so I have to make sure all my contributors get their copies before anyone else!

Q:
What can you tell people about the differences between the 1st CD and the upcoming one? Was there an evolution in the songwriting? Material you wanted to record the first time around? Better sense of going into the studio?

Angela Saini:
It was pretty different in a lot of ways. With "Cake and Callouses" I was recording a collection of songs I had pre-demoed with my friend (and Tragically Hip drummer) Johnny Fay over a long period and I had way more time to think about what songs to record, and the writing of them was over a longer period of time. This time around I decided to record some tunes that were co-writes (one with Emma-Lee/ Karen Kosowski, and one with Frazer Mac) and two were songs I had finished less than a month before we hit the studio.

Another big difference was "Cake and Callouses" was produced by long-time collaborator Tony Gare (who produced my old band Supernal and Drive Faster records) which was a very different experience than "Leap," which was produced by Tom McKay, someone who I have known for a little while but have never worked with before. We had a quick recording pace and just got it done. The first time around we took our time, all in all it was about 8 months compared to 1 and a half.

I think "Leap" is a little more focused in the songwriting, perhaps a little more mature or thought out. The first time around I just recorded the songs I liked that were the strongest, not necessarily which would sound the most unified in sound.

Q:
As far as NXNE, FreeTimes is very much a "listening room" and I believe you're starting off the night (no pressure here). What are you doing to prepare for the evening?

Angela Saini:
Well I am excited to have a warm-up show with the band on Tuesday, June 11th at C'est What? as the first show back from my tour. That will be fun.

I played Free Times for my CMW showcase this year and really enjoyed the room. You could hear a pin drop while I was playing and that can be rare in a lot of the Toronto venues that I play.
I am feeling pretty prepared since I have played a lot this month and also have some new material that I may premiere at the show. With the band it takes some coordination and rehearsal but when I play solo anything goes and it is fun to get the feedback and exhilaration of sharing something brand new.

Q:
For folks who've never heard you play before, how would you express to them, what to expect at an Angela Saini show? What to expect at C'est What, then Free Times in June?

Angela Saini:
I describe my music as rootsy folk-pop. I have some emotional songs, really upbeat and positive songs, and some that are in between. I like to tell stories in my music. I have a little sprinkle of country, but consider myself a songwriter with pop sensibilities. I like songs with a catchy chorus.
Angela Saini and the Residence is me and some talented folks that play with me as a full band. Same songs but with full instrumentation. That will be the C'est What? show on Tuesday, June 11th at 9pm. My solo show feels more intimate and stripped down, and I trade in my hollow-body electric guitar for an acoustic. You can expect that at Free Times on Saturday, June 15th at 8pm. - The Examiner

Photographer John Meadows describes Angela Saini as "an artist who understands the importance of story; every song of hers has a story" and Angela has truly taken the jump into exciting new avenues of life and music.

Included in her new directions are her recent European tour with Leo Sta and Piper Hayes, a new video release for the single "U-Turn", and the upcoming CD release party for "Leap" at Toronto's Rivoli on Queen St.

Angela took time out of her busy schedule to meet with Examiner.com on November 6 to chat about Leap, and other stories.

With a new CD finished, and the official video for "U-turn" available for viewing, life has been all about being busy, efficiency, and new things for Angela.

Starting with "U-Turn" the song is the first time Angela had co-written a song (with songwriters Emma-Lee and Karen Kosowski). Angela says she came up with the title of the song and the lyrics tell the story of life's many possibilities of heading down different paths in life.

"The video was shot over 3 days" with multiple locations. She also says Toronto music fans will spot the venue the Painted Lady as one of the set locations. The video director Mariana Osuna had never previously shot a music video, though with an impressive background in film, Angela entrusted her to the project. Osuna did the location scouting and other pre-production work while Angela was still on tour in Europe.

[We briefly chatted about the difference between authentic European Schnitzel and Canadian Schnitzel before discussing her European tour.]

"I love Holland. Everyone there speaks English."

When asked about her language skills, Angela said she had tried to make an effort to learn at least parts of the local languages while on tour in Europe. She describes a show she played in Venlo where the host of the event was welcoming. Having started the evening, she went up to the microphone and said "Hello" in the local dialect. With the audience perplexed at first she continued on to her set. Afterwards having learned the word for "goodbye" was what she had introduced herself with (the words being inverted in the local dialect).

With the upcoming CD release, Angela says she still manages to find time for all the other related music happenings. This year has seen her perform at well into a hundred events, book her own Canadian and European tours, manage funding for production work, answer emails, promote shows, and complete festival applications. She says she even has time for a "nap" on the rare occasion.

Normally performing solo or in a trio, Angela is bringing a full five-piece band to her CD release. She admits there is a more "honest" or perhaps raw performance solo on stage as much of her local, Canadian national, and European shows are.

Angela chose the Rivoli as the locale for her Toronto based release party for "Leap" as a somewhere different from the Drake Hotel, where her previous CD was released. Life always seems to head in new destinations for Angela.

The video trailer for the CD release in available online here.
The tour blog for Angela's European tour is available online here.

Angela Saini CD release "Leap"
Thursday, November 14th
The Rivoli (334 Queen St. W.)
Doors at 8pm
$8 admission

9pm - Brad Fillatre
10pm - Angela Saini and the Residence
11pm - Serena Pryne and The Mandevilles
12pm - Joy Phillips

For the Examiner.com interview with Angela Saini in June 2013, please visit:
http://www.examiner.com/article/angela-saini-on-tour-and-nxne-conversation

For a full list of NXNE artists visit their website: www.nxne.com

For more Toronto Music Examiner articles visit:
http://www.examiner.com/music-in-toronto/ryan-ayukawa - The Examiner

In the five tracks on Leap – a fusion of pop, funk, Motown, blues and even a bit of alt country – Saini has created a narrative that takes the listener across a lifetime of relationships, including those with lovers/partners and with oneself. “U Turn” opens the record, with a funky pop vibe that comes into the chorus. “You can run away / Change your mind / It’s okay to cross that line” makes for a strong, upbeat anthem about getting out of a rut and turning your life around. “There’s so much more” than a shout out to retail therapy in “Little Black Dress.” It’s a nice follow-up to “U Turn,” with its encouraging call to do something nice for yourself – a celebration of self and positive body image that puts aside magazine images and societal imposition.

“You’re Just That Guy” is a kind of a cheerful break-up song, and feels like a natural segue from the first two tracks into the latter half of the EP, as we follow this evolution of life, self and relationship. This time, she’s out and gone, and moving on – going out into the night with a renewed sense of adventure. The tone here is playful, sexy and sassy. “Stay Here With Me” has so much soul, as Saini sings of new love and connection, and that feeling of wanting to hang on and not let go. The final track, “Something Like I’m Beautiful,” has the sense of an older, long-time love that’s become taken for granted. This is my favourite track on Leap, and one that I’ve had the pleasure of hearing Saini perform live with just her guitar backing her up. It’s a bluesy/pop/alt country vibe, and a vulnerable, honest plea to be acknowledged – this is someone who longs to feel special in the eyes of her lover/partner again.

Saini’s vocals are strong and soulful, yet warm and light – and she’s not afraid of bringing a bit of mischief or vulnerability into the performance, giving her lyrics exactly the tone they need. Leap is a collection of catchy tunes that move the listener, both physically and emotionally. Joining Saini on Leap are Tony Rabalao (drums), Sarah Giles (bass), Tony Gare (guitar), Thomas McKay (guitar & keys), John Britton (percussion) and Vanessa James-Locke (back-up vox).

You can also find Angela Saini on her YouTube channel and follow her on Twitter.

Angela celebrates the launch of Leap on November 14 at the Rivoli – 9 p.m. $8 cover. Guests TBA. - Life With More Cowbell

Toronto’s Angela Saini has just released her second EP “Leap,” writing about songs of self-renewal, empowerment, love and life. Angela delves into humanistic and honest themes combined with catchy hooks and memorable melodies. The title of the EP “Leap” was named after committing to the recording process without knowing how she was going to finance it. The album was produced by Thomas McKay (Joydrop, Nightcrawlers) and involved a successful fan-funding campaign. Comparing her musical style to Feist and Sheryl Crow, this singer/songwriter has just got off a Canadian tour Via Rail and her first tour of the Netherlands. I got a chance to chat with Saini about her new EP and things she loves about Toronto.

F: Congrats on your new album Leap. Where was it recorded and tell me a bit about the process.

I recorded Leap at Revolution and Exeter Sound Studios with producer Thomas McKay. I did a fan-funding campaign to cover costs of recording while simultaneously making the record. It was a crazy busy schedule but extremely fulfilling. Making and recording music is awesome fun! I have a lot of people to thank for helping to make it happen.

F: I find that albums often represent a chapter of time in a person’s life. What was the theme around this album?

Say Yes. Go for it. You can do anything. Songs revolving around self-renewal, love and life.

F: Why LEAP?

That is what I did! I returned from an L.A. trip a year ago with the motive to record and I had no idea how I was going to do it. I put the intention out there and within 3 weeks I had solidified the producer, studio, players, timeline and budget. The only thing left to the universe was how I was going to pull it off!

F: Hope your current Canadian tour is going well. Why did you choose to travel via Rail and how’s it going?

Thanks! This is the fourth time I have performed on VIA Rail on “The Canadian” and it is the most fun way to travel west. I play for the passengers on the train, make friends, eat a lot, sleep, sell CDs and most importantly look out the window and appreciate this amazing and huge country! I have made friends all over Canada and have a great relationship with the folks at VIA. Super fun. My Alberta shows have went well so far, including a sold-out show in Calgary. I will be heading back east for shows in Peterborough, Ottawa, and Montreal.


F: You recently came back from performing some shows in Europe. Was this your first time? How does it compare to Canada touring besides the shorter drives between cities?

I recently came back from my first international tour to The Netherlands. Europe is very compact compared to Canada which is a huge plus when you are trying to hit a bunch of cities. The transportation systems are very efficient and I appreciated that immensely. There are a few different customs that you have to get used to, (for example, paying for tap water and restroom facilities) but I really appreciated that almost everyone in Holland speaks English. I did not find that in Germany and Austria. Language is big.


F: What would you recommend to anyone performing overseas?

Have a tour manager that speaks the language. Even if it’s a friend, it will make your travel, shows, and everything in between that much smoother. Being that far from home in a foreign place is already hard as an artist, so make sure you have someone with you at all times that knows exactly where you are and where you are going next! As an artist that books and executes most of my own tours, I really appreciated not having to worry about the details.


F: What are 3 must album haves on your ipod/computer?

Right now I can’t get enough of all my Arcade Fire albums (Reflektor is awesome.) I never leave for a trip without Rilo Kiley (my favourite is Under the Blacklight) and Bon Iver is often on repeat.

F: A musician’s life is both rewarding and stressful. What do you do to keep sane?
Yoga is my lifeline.

Here is Angela’s music video for “U Turn”

F: If you had to collaborate with one Toronto band, who would it be and why?

I absolutely love Public Animal. I saw them at NXNE this year and am hooked. Badass riffs and awesome harmonies.

F: As a singer, are you careful with your diet such as eliminating acidic foods and dairy or do you consume the same foods you have always had?

On show days, I do avoid dairy as much as possible and am pretty strict about not eating 2-3 hours before I hit the stage. I also don’t drink beer or eat spicy foods before I sing. Any other time, I eat whatever and whenever I want!

F: Top 3 artists that have inspired you in your life?

Amanda Marshall: at a concert at the Calgary Stampede when I was 14, I had an epiphany that I wanted to be a professional singer. That led me to starting a rock band that I fronted for over a decade. Foo Fighters: their first 4 albums were very influential to me; their live set and stage transitions are legendary and I took ideas from their shows in terms of set list and flow in concert. (I have seen them 7 times!) Death Cab for Cutie: the songwriting from this band, from clever lyrics, memorable melodies, emotional nuances and singable guitar licks drive me to write better and better songs.

F: Favourite place to eat in Toronto?

Two Bite Saloon on Bloor. Yum. In two bites or less.

F: Favourite thing about the city

I can eat any food from anywhere in the world and see live original music any night of the week!

F: Favourite hang out in TO?

The Drake Hotel.

Rapid fire:
F: Sneaky Dees Nachos or Hey Meatball Spaghetti?

Nachos


F: Queen or College St?

Queen


F: Trinity Bellwoods or Highpark?

High Park


F: Early bird or night owl?

Night Owl


F: What are your thoughts of today’s age of downloading free music’s purchasing music.

I get it. Don’t practice it myself.


F: What do you think of physical vs digital album sales? Do you have a preference? Are CD’s almost extinct?

I thought they were and was pleasantly surprised to realize that physical CD sales are alive and well in certain demographics. I personally do not collect physical CDs. I prefer the digital counterpart for my own musical consumption, but avoid MP3s when I can because they sound terrible.


F: What is one fact people about you that people wouldn’t expect?

I am half Indian. My father was born in New Delhi.


F: What’s next for Angela Saini?

World Domination. - Toronto is Awesome

"I don’t know why she’s not signed yet, she has great tone in her voice, has the natural talent and is a mufti-instrumentalist; the songs are done well" - Fridae TV

After hearing Angela Saini's song Dear Diary:


“Probably going to be stuck in my head for the rest of the day”

- Indie Week 2011

The backdrop curtain was red, the same colour red like you would imagine at a theatre production. The stage was crowded with musical equipment but there was still enough room for Angela Saini, 28, to sing her newest track Dear Diary at Les 3 Minots bar in July 2011 in Montreal, Quebec.

The video footage of her strumming on her Ibanez hollow body guitar, fit with a zebra print guitar strap, found on her website – angelasaini.com – is a sight you would not have seen in Canada just 10 years ago.

Today, female indie artists and women fronting indie bands are breaking the norm in the music industry.

Saini’s independent band, Angela Saini and the Residents, recently performed at the Indie Week Music Festival in October in Toronto.

Over 96 bands performed from Oct. 12 to Oct. 15, 2011. Of those, 40 had female artists and women fronting bands.

In an interview, Saini said in 2001, when she was touring with her first band, Supernal, in high school and university, everyone at the venue would assume she was always the girlfriend.

“No one ever thought I was in the band, and if they realized, ‘Oh she’s in the band,’ they’d assume that I was the singer,” she said. “If I’m the singer they’d assume that I don’t play guitar, ‘Women don’t play guitar,’ and if I played a guitar, they’d assume I played an acoustic guitar.”

“Why is the man the norm, especially in rock music?” she said. “It’s really a reflection of our society.

Saini was not only the lead singer in Supernal, but at 16 years of age, she was the lead songwriter, and played the electric guitar at shows all over Calgary.

Saini continues to work with Supernal, now known as Drive Faster–and in her off time she is a server at the Drake hotel in Toronto.

The assumptions Saini faced a decade ago were not uncommon. Industry watchers say now the music business is seeing a rising trend of both indie female artists and women fronting indie bands.

“In the ‘50s you didn’t see any rock ‘n’ roll women,” said Alan Cross, a Toronto music historian.

Cross has been a radio broadcaster and a music writer for over 30 years, and he also hosts his own show, “The Ongoing History of New Music” on 102.1 the Edge.

“The ‘60s you had all the girls groups, [and] what was interesting about the girl groups is that they were just pretty faces and voices up front, they didn’t write their own music, they didn’t play their own instrument,” Cross said.

“The biggest change [for music] really came with punk when the whole idea of punk was if you have something to say then you should be able to say it regardless of who you are,” Cross explained. “That meant class, that meant musical ability, it meant gender.

“Then there was this explosion of female-fronted groups or groups that were entirely female, which was really odd because you hadn’t seen them.”

Female-fronted groups and groups that were entirely female, such as, The Runaways, Bikini Kill, Bratmobile and Hole became prominent in the music industry between 1976-78.

In the ‘80s and ‘90s indie music really began to establish itself, Cross said. There would be the odd sort of thing such as, Tina Waymouth playing bass for the Talking Heads, and every once and a while you would see a girl drummer.

Cross said that these female indie bands with musicians that rocked out on bass and drums were very unfairly targeted by sexist elements in the music industry, however, in retrospect they were huge groundbreakers.

“Kim Gordon of Sonic Youth, she became a real role model for an awful lot of people,” Cross said. “I don’t think the whole riot grrrl thing would have happened in the 90s if it wasn’t for Kim Gordon.”

From 1991 till 1994 riot grrrl, an underground feminist punk movement that formed in Washington, DC, displayed female empowerment.

From there out came The White Stripes in 1997 with Meg White playing drums, and although she wasn’t exactly saying much, she became this sort of icon, Cross said.

- Eject Magazine

Bad Broose- Stylus Magazine

Though only a 5 track EP, Supernal's sophomore effort, No Excuse Not To is one of the best rock albums of 2003. With a strong female lead vocalist, Supernal is a breath of fresh air in the stank testosterone charged wasteland of rock radio. The rhythm guitar rumbles a clean growl along with a hard driving rhythm section, and the lead guitar is a non-stop barrage of catchy hooks and tasteful riffs. But the real treasue is Angela Saini's vocals. She sings like a street-wise Pat Benetar, cooing and snarling, simultaneously exposing her vulnerability while issuing a warning. This combination of good driving rock music, beautiful vocals and brutal honesty of the lyrics is like smiling while saying "Screw you!" Saini, also the band's principal songwriter, doesn't buffer the often cruel truth with sugar-coated cliches. Misery, for example, captures those horrible final moments of a relationship just before closure, when you know that it's over, but still hope for the instant happy ending pill. A typical line from Reverberate, "She don't want you hanging around." How many times have we all had to rely on someone else to point out the obvious, it doesn't get any more real and honest than that. No Excuse Not To plays out like a five step reality check.
- Stylus Magazine

BOBBi MAGAZINE SUMMER 08
UP AND COMING MUSIC BUZZ
who's who and what's what!

By Andreanne Sasseville- SIRIUS Satellite Radio

Who are they:
Angela Elizabeth -vocals and guitar
Tony Gare - guitar
Brent Miller - bass
Michael Holbrook - drums

Hometown
Toronto, Ontario

Debut disc:
They've got 4 EPs. The most recent one is called Not For Sale -2006

Their style:
Explosive Alternative Rock with a hint of house beats!

Band name history:
Angela right away introduced the band and explained its origins: "The name SUPERNAL means 'something celestial'. Everything that we love about music seems to have that similar sort of huge undefined mystery to it, so the name sums up what we would like our music to be thought of. Majestic beauty and powerful chaos. As an added bonus, no one else had it yet." (The girl is obviously original and practical.)

How it all started:
Just like high school sweethearts, (but this was a threesome, oops, a trio!), three of the band members have been playing music together since high school. Their first show took place, you guessed it, at that very same high school. The REAL defining moment for the band was between Angela and Brent at the Calgary Stampede, where they watched a free concert on the Coca-Cola Stage and decided that it would be fun to collaborate together to try to play on that very stage. A few years later, they fulfilled their dream. Numerous try outs (band members and band names) later, Supernal is solid.

Favourite city to play in:
Brent (smirk) mentions that whatever city they are playing in is the best one. Suck ups? No, they truly enjoy all the band's stops. But they do have a soft spot for Terrace, British Columbia. (MapQuest anyone?)

Favourite city to live in:
Canmore, Alberta. Although they have only stayed there for periods of days at a time, those days always included snowboarding, rock music, and hot tubs. (We want to go on tour with you guys!)

Pre-concert routine:
Angela sometimes punches Brent in the face. (How many black eyes to date please?)

Best and worst tour anecdote:
Angela clearly remembers most of the drama involved a propane van that they used to travel in. Outside of never being able to find propane and having no access to it after you finally did, the gas meter was broken as well. On the bright side, Angela recalls getting a discount on dinner. Once!

What they have been listening to lately:

In the band's van it has been the new Rilo Kiley, The Foo Fighters, Tegan and Sara, Ani Difranco's new greatest hits album and thanks to Brent, a little bit of Zeitgeist. They're all over the map with their tastes but they believe it makes them stronger.

Craziest dream:

Brent (smirk): "My craziest dream involved me being chased by a giant colony of lepers while wearing fuzzy bunny slippers in the middle of January." (Ok silly we meant your goal, lifelong pursuit, deep motivation!)

The real answer:

Fame and fortune? Yes to that. But they are very happy with a lifelong career of making great music for great people, inspiring while being inspired.

You should check this band out because:

Their music is just like their personality: friendly and upbeat. They are realistic and ambitious. Top that with talented. Take a trip to their majestic, chaotic, yet beautiful sky. Chances are you'll like the scenery.
- BOBBi Magazine