Local musician Angus Vincent is getting a major boost for his career. The Saskatchewan Arts Board granted Vincent $4,150 as part of its Indigenous Pathways Initiative, which he will use to take time to write music.
Vincent describes his music as indie-folk/rock, and says he draws from a wide range of influences when writing music, starting from a mostly rock influence but with a voice that lends itself to the softer, more melodic nature of folk. Part of the goal is having a wide repertoire in order to put on a good show.
“These are songs coming from my heart and my experiences, but I still want to be able to entertain. I could have ten heartbreaking songs, but is someone going to want to watch that?”
The grant allows Vincent to take time off work to write songs, which he says is needed to give the material the focus it deserves. He says that while he appreciates his career and the opportunities it allows, it has also made it difficult to fully devote his time to the songwriting process.
“There’s probably an album’s worth of new material that I know that if I was able to give them some time, I could develop them into some catchy tunes.”
Vincent regards the grant and the time he will spend writing as the first step in rebooting his music career. He regards playing shows as essential to developing his music, and that his songs are all better than when he originally wrote them due to performance and revisiting the tracks.
With original material it opens up doors for more opportunities for touring and recording, Vincent explains. New material also means that he is showing that he is actively pursuing a career, which makes it easier to book shows, receive grants and eventually record an album.
“That’s one of my goals actually, to walk into an HMV and see a CD of mine, choosing the cover art and choosing the songs that are on there. That’s an independent musician’s dream, and that’s what I am right now... That propels me enough to move forward and believe in the process.”
While that’s a goal, Vincent says it’s far from the final goal, and he hopes that he will be able to make a career as a musician. He says he wants to do work he can be proud of, and he recognizes it will be hard work to keep working in music and selling his songs to radio and audiences. He says he’s had some success selling singles before, but he believes he made some mistakes the first time around, and now he’s better prepared to take on the music industry.
“It takes a level of commitment that I am prepared to do.”
The Arts Board’s programs encompasses the full range of artistic endeavor, and Vincent says that he’s grateful that the grants exist, not just for himself but for the arts in Saskatchewan overall.
“Whether it’s writing, music or drawing, we’re all artists and we all create different things that come from inside of us, which makes it part of Saskatchewan.”
He also thanks his wife and daughter for their support, and says that he’s always going to be aware of how difficult it will be for them if he’s out touring and selling his music. Providing for his family will always be top priority, Vincent says, but he also knows they’re behind him pursuing his dreams in music.
