A soul-funk singer-songwriter heading to Nanaimo is at a loss for words when it comes to the magic of group singing.
“I just love that feeling when it feels organic when people sing together… Those moments when a lot of people who love to sing raise their voices together. And you have a song that helps that happen. It’s a really beautiful feeling,” said Coco Love Alcorn, whose nearly 30-year career has resulted in national tours, collaborations, festival appearances, award nominations and nine solo albums. “Choirs singing my songs have woven themselves into my life and my sense of self… I couldn’t imagine life without them. It’s just been a really beautiful evolution to go from singing primarily for and to people to actually involving people.”
While her career hasn’t always been about group singing, Alcorn’s performances in British Columbia, including a stop in Nanaimo on Friday, July 5, will be preceded by vocal workshops. Workshops led by the singer-songwriter aren’t uncommon, though, considering one of her last shows in Nanaimo about seven years ago also included one with the Island Soul Choir. During the pandemic, the singer-songwriter noted that what she missed most were the performances where the energy grew and became almost tangible — often those following a workshop.
The Island concerts will feature music from Alcorn’s last two albums, Rebirth And Wonderlandas well as some older songs and some newer ones that still need to be recorded.
One song in particular, River, which was recorded more than a decade ago and is on Wonderlandhas been sung by “hundreds and hundreds of choirs from all over the world” and has “traveled much further” than the singer-songwriter.
In Nanaimo, Alcorn will host a workshop at the Nanaimo Yacht Club, 400 Newcastle Ave., on Friday, July 5, from 2-4 p.m. The concert will be held the same day and at the same location at 7:30 p.m.
She will also hold a workshop and concert in Victoria on July 4, in Comox on July 6 and in Vancouver on July 25.
Tickets for the workshops and concerts in Nanaimo and other locations can be purchased individually or together online at www.cocolovealcorn.com.
