Zoe Guigueno is a multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, and composer based on Vancouver Island. She is an “Alien of Extraordinary Ability” according to the US government. When not working on her own music, she tours as a bassist with avant-pop string band Laura Cortese & the Dance Cards, Americana ensemble Della Mae, and klezmer collective Michael Winograd and the Honorable Mentshn. She has toured in over 20 countries, busked in a pink gorilla costume in the New York subway, played on CBS and the Grand Ole Opry, balanced an upright bass on a moving white-water raft, and performed with Steve Martin and Martin Short.
By Kamil Bobin
Discovered via Musosoup
Kamil: Hey Zoe Guigueno, super nice to have the chance to chat with you. What first got you into music?
Hi Kamil! Likewise. First got me into music… well, it was always around the house - both my parents played and listened to music, there were instruments around, records, tapes, then CDs. The first album (tape) I remember getting obsessed with was Ashley MacIsaac’s “Hi How Are You Today?”.
Do you have any hobbies or interests outside of music?
Indeed! Reading, surfing, mushroom hunting, dancing, crossword puzzles, chess...
Your latest song is 'Benefit of the Doubt'. Can you tell us more about the making of it and if there were any unusual things happening during the process?
This song came from a letter I received from a penpal – a woman I'd met at a music camp, who I'd been getting to know better through our correspondence. When she revealed this story to me, I was shaken, and sat down right away at my piano. I had only the first couple stanzas set when I showed it to my producer Adam Iredale-Gray; he encouraged me to finish writing it, and he came up with the rhythmic idea for the bridge.
Can you reveal the recipe for a musical hit?
Hah! No. Would if I could.
What are you doing to ensure you continue to grow and develop as an artist?
That's a good question. Staying curious and open, I guess. Seeking challenge. Continuously meeting new artists and working with them, learning from them, collaborating with them. Reading, listening. Trying new things. Setting goals.
What inspires you as an artist? Could it be the sea, the weather or something else?
I do love the sea! But mostly I am inspired by people. People I meet or hear about. The way they live their lives, the choices they make, their perspectives, their circumstances.
How do you spend your free time? What makes you feel relaxed?
I am trying to get halfway decent at surfing, which is why I moved a couple years ago to a little surf town in British Columbia, Canada. Sometimes that can be relaxing, but usually it’s quite the opposite. I'll go with getting a massage. Or listening to Red Tail Ring's song “A Clearing in the Wild”.
Do you have a mentor or coach?
Not exactly. I often wish I did... I often have no idea what I'm doing. At these times I seek counsel through my network, or take private lessons from someone I want to learn something specific from.
Do you think it's easy to become established in the music world, or is it difficult?
I think it takes resilience, adaptability, resourcefulness, endurance, creativity, patience, passion, social skills, work ethic, open-mindedness, co-operation, compromise... I could go on. It takes some navigating for sure.
What accomplishments do you see yourself achieving in the next five to 10 years?
I’d like to write a book. I’d like to get fluent in French. I’d like to put out an album of instrumental music. I’d like to get nominated for a Juno or a Polaris or something like that. That'd be cool.