Journey across the homeland
Standing out amongst the massive swarm of indie artists in Canada requires a great deal of hard work, something Andrea Ramolo knows all to well.
The aptly nicknamed “Miss Uncensored,” is no newcomer to performing, having started dancing competitively at the age of two, singing around age seven and throwing in some acting and tap dancing along the way. It is this work ethic that led Ramolo to independently book a cross-country tour this year that will span five months and more than 70 venues, including The Ironwood in Calgary on May 17.
“I am used to it, I have always been a performer,” Ramolo, who just began producing her own music roughly two years ago, said. “In terms of my music career, things have been happening pretty quickly for me.
“We have invested a lot of time trying to find venues that cater to our type of music and tried to develop a nice route for us to work with. It’s a great way to see the country.”
The Toronto native describes her style as folk-roots infused with blues, even occasionally dabbling into bluegrass sounds, something she feels will translate well during her numerous upcoming performances in Alberta and Saskatchewan.
“I tend to be pretty blunt with my songwriting, I’m not really into a lot of deep metaphors that people won’t understand,” Ramolo, who released her debut album Thank You for the Ride last year, explained.
For more information on Ramolo click here.
The well-studied artist, who has earned degrees in both education and theatre, sees human beings as “vacuums who are easily engaged and influenced by others,” noting that some of her influences include Janis Joplin, Lucinda Williams and close friend Serena Ryder, who took home the Juno for best new artist last year.
“She deserves it, Serena was under the radar for so long. When I first heard her five or six years ago she just blew me away,” Ramolo said.
So long as she is able to make a decent living doing what she loves, Ramolo could care less about any possible fame or fortune. She says her attraction to performing largely comes from the opportunity to be spontaneous, noting that her and stage mate Jason Skiendziel will often employ the use of stomp boxes or break out into tap dancing routines. She looks forward to showcasing this unpredictable style for audiences all across Canada in the coming months.
“I am so excited to meet people from all across this country and to hopefully come away with a whole new collection of music from being inspired by others.”