Luky taps into roots of country music

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This article was published 3/11/2016 (653 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

After a 15-year hiatus, the Manitoba Country Music Association brought back its awards show in 2015. An overwhelming response has reignited the MCMA with plans to continue building on the show’s success, offering it up as its annual flagship event.

Leading up to the 2016 MCMA Awards on Nov. 10, the Brandon Sun profiles a selection of talented Westman nominees, who will all be performing at the event at Winnipeg’s Metropolitan Entertainment Centre.

Kayla Luky is anxious to release her new album "Back to Dirt" in January, after its original launch date was delayed due to another important arrival.

The Grandview resident and her partner, Ian MacIntosh, welcomed their baby boy, Forrest, into the world in August.

"We started recording it back to last September, and then I found out I was expecting," she said. "So the timeline of the album changed … I’ve been sitting on it for so long, it’s an exercise in patience."

Luky worked with award-winning producer Murray Pulver (Doc Walker, Steve Bell, Bros Landreth) on the album, which she describes as a balance of old country and singer-songwriter tracks "soaked in alcohol, dirt and sorrow, honouring the roots of real country music."

It also has elements of seriousness and lightheartedness, which she hopes will appeal to her fans.

Lucky was born and raised in the Grandview area, and continues to draw inspiration from the community, located between Roblin and Dauphin.

"I’m definitely influenced by the people … and the scenery in my community and the experiences that I go through in life," she said. "So usually when I write, I kind of wait until I’m inspired by something and a melody usually just comes to me, and the songs sort of write themselves a lot of the time."

Luky taught herself how to play guitar when she was 13 years old, and songwriting came naturally. She remembers music being played constantly at home when she was growing up.

"My mom listened to the radio a lot and she was always singing along to it, so I’m sure that had an influence, too," she said. "(It was) just the radio but it obviously made its mark."

While many musicians flock to bigger cities, Luky finds rural Manitoba quite inspiring and helps her in her creative process.

"I think living outside of a major city centre where there’s a lot of music going around helps," she said. "I think it makes what I do come from a less influenced place, which is sort of nice."

Her career has taken her across Canada, playing shows with and without a band. Back in 2008, she was on the "Canadian Idol" reality television show. Luky said it was a glimpse into the world of reality TV, as well as an opportunity to see what is required in mainstream music industry. She met musicians from across the country, who she still connects with from time to time.

"It’s fun to cross paths with them when you’re touring around Western Canada," she said. "That’s nice to see that we’re still active in the music scene."

Luky is up for three MCMA awards: female artist of the year, roots artist/duo/group of the year and emerging artist award.

As for the next year, she has plans to go to South by Southwest, Canadian Music Week, and go on an Eastern Canada tour.

"Hopefully hit up festival season and then kind of reassess where were at and what to do in the fall," she said.

The new album will be officially released on Jan. 20, with a pre-sale in December through kaylaluky.ca.

Following its release, Luky will embark on a Western Canada tour with four bandmates — and this time there will be a baby on board.

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