Brandon singer-songwriter launching second album

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This article was published 30/10/2023 (792 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A Brandon-based transgender singer-songwriter is getting ready to release her second album this November in time for Transgender Awareness Week.

From Nov. 13 to 19 every year, the week is observed to raise awareness of issues facing the transgender community ahead of Transgender Day of Remembrance, held on Nov. 20 in honour of people who were lost to anti-trans violence over the previous year.

Speaking to the Sun last week, Anastasia Jane said she targeted Nov. 17 as the release date for her second album “House of Jane” as a way of celebrating being an out and proud woman showing what transgender people can accomplish.

Jane — the musical alter ego of local psychologist Anastasia Gibson — said that before she came out, she didn’t view herself as a particularly political person. However, when she took that step, she had someone warn her that being herself was going to be seen as a political statement.

“They were correct,” Jane said.

Especially at a time when delegations have gone to the Brandon School Division this year to request, in part, books discussing gender issues or transition to be banned from school libraries and people have marched in rallies equating the teaching of 2SLGBTQIA+ topics with sexualization and indoctrination.

“Especially this year on my social media and such, I’ve experienced some real positive things as well, but I’ve also experienced some negative,” she said.

That, she said, goes beyond herself and includes her partner Wendy and multiple members of Brandon Pride.

Some of these events locally and across the world have surprised Jane, she said, because while she received some comments after coming out two years ago that showed some ignorance, they weren’t as vitriolic as what’s happening in the present.

Negative sentiments she’s heard about trans people this year include that they’re groomers, pedophiles or mentally ill.

A single she released earlier this year, “No One Can Eradicate Us,” was a response to those sentiments and is set to be showcased by Manitoba Music the same week her new album is being released.

Jane’s first album, “Confessions From A Closet,” was an autobiographical look at her coming out journey.

She said she’s received positive comments from listeners about “From a Chrysalis” from that album as well as “No One Can Eradicate Us,” who said it spoke to their own journeys. One listener said they were thinking of detransitioning, but Jane’s music had helped explain to her why it was important to keep being themselves.

Hearing those positive messages provides her with motivation to keep producing music despite the negative backlash against trans people, Jane said.

If someone is looking for an introduction to her music, she said those two tracks, as well as “Gravity,” would be a good starting point.

The new album is titled “House of Jane.” It features the artist performing all the instruments, vocals and backing vocals by herself. That includes acoustic guitar, electric bass, drums synthesizers and the “bag of tricks” provided by recording software.

While she describes her style as being anchored in rock, there are also nods to Celtic, folk, pop and ballad music.

Like the previous album, it’s still a reflection of Jane’s experiences, but this time it’s more about her health journey — including a cancer diagnosis this summer.

“One of the difficulties was that I wasn’t able to play live,” she said. “I wanted to, I had opportunities to in Winnipeg, throughout Manitoba. I even had some offers in the United States and in Brandon on a regular basis. It was frustrating because my health kept failing, so I’d play the occasional gig and then I’d have to cancel or I’d be in the hospital.”

The album served as a project she could focus on after receiving her diagnosis and starting treatment. She credited her partner Wendy for being her “emotional and physical rock” throughout the whole process.

Over the 12 songs on the album, the topics of self-actualization and responses to trans and homophobia are present, but not as directly as the previous album. On the latest album, there’s more of a focus on relationships, personal growth and questioning spirituality.

One track, “Everything’s Gonna Be Okay,” was originally a response to the COVID-19 pandemic, but Jane said it resonates in a different way as she battles cancer.

In early November, a music video is scheduled to be released for the song “Move the World,” which opens the album. Jane describes the song as being about finding your inner light, your authentic self, and the power that comes from doing so.

The video features a performance from House of Hex, a local drag collective. Jane said she thought that was perfect, given the song’s message of doing what is authentic to yourself.

“Don’t let them tell you what your pronouns are,” she said. “You own that. You own who you are, whether that’s trans, whether that’s non-binary, whether that’s two-spirit, whether that’s queer, straight, living authentically is the key.”

On Nov. 17, the album should be available on major streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Music. A preview of the track list can be found online at https://anastasiajane.hearnow.com/house-of-jane/.

» cslark@brandonsun.com

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