ANOMALY.
CLASSICALLY TRAINED IN PIANO IN
MONTREAL, PIRATE WAS A POP STAR,
SINGING AND WRITING IN FRENCH
EXCLUSIVELY.
SHE TOOK OFF IN QUEBEC AND IN
FRANCE, BUT SOON THE BUZZ BEGAN
TO REACH ENGLISH CANADA TOO.
>> IT DEBUTS AT NUMBER ONE IN
CANADA.
>> Reporter: SHE TOOK ON ENGLISH
COVERS NEXT.
HER RECENT RECORD IS CREATING A
STIR.
>> PEOPLE WOULD NOT KNOW ABOUT
ME IN I DIDN'T SING IN ENGLISH.
>> Wendy: THE ALBUM IS
BILINGUAL, SOME SONGS ARE IN
FRENCH, BUT SOME ARE IN ENGLISH.
SHE TOURS OFTEN IN FRANCE, EVEN
ONCE PLATED THE BATACLAN THEATRE
AND WAS IN PARIS WHEN THE CITY
CAME UNDER ATTACK IN NOVEMBER.
[♪♪♪♪♪♪]
SHE RECENTLY COMPLETED A SOLD
OUT TOUR ACROSS ENGLISH CANADA.
SHE HAS BEEN NOMINATED FOR TWO
AWARDS AT THIS WEEKEND'S JUNOS.
INCLUDING THE PRESTIGIOUS SONG
WRITER OF THE YEAR AWARD.
I SAT DOWN WITH HER IN MONTREAL.
NICE TO MEET YOU.
>> NICE TO MEET YOU TOO.
>> Wendy: YOUR LATEST ALBUM IS
IN FRENCH AND ENGLISH.
WHERE DID THAT COME FROM?
>> Interview: I DON'T KNOW, I
MEAN, IT STARTED FROM ONE SONG
THAT I WROTE A LONG TIME AGO.
AND I WANTED TO RECORD THAT ONE
ABSOLUTELY.
I DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE THAT SONG
OUT.
IT FELT WEIRD TO HAVE ONE SONG
IN ENGLISH ON THE ALBUM.
SO I WROTE A COUPLE MORE AND IT
IS KIND OF A CHALLENGE FOR ME.
IT IS PART OF MY HERITAGE.
I DIDN'T KNOW IF I WOULD BE ABLE
TO WRITE GOOD SONGS IN ENGLISH.
I THINK I MANAGED TO PULL
THROUGH.
IT DOES REPRESENT WHO I AM.
>> Wendy: HOW HARD IS IT TO
BREAKTHROUGH IN ENGLISH?
YOU ARE HUGE IN FRANCE AND
QUEBEC.
YOU HAD A SOLD OUT SHOW.
IS IT HARD TO BREAKTHROUGH?
>> Interview: I THINK IT IS.
I AM SO GRATEFUL.
I PLAY SHOWS EVERYWHERE AND
PEOPLE ARE OPEN MINDED AND
ACCEPT MY FRENCH MATERIAL AND
ENGLISH MATERIAL AS WELL.
IT HAS GIVEN ME A DIFFERENT
WINDOW.
I CAN PLAY SHOWS IN SASKATOON.
I COULDN'T DO THAT BEFORE.
AND I AM PROBABLY ONE OF THE FEW
ARTISTS FROM QUEBEC THAT HAVE A
FRENCH SPEAKING BACKGROUND IN
MUSIC THAT, YOU KNOW, GETS TO DO
THAT TODAY.
I FEEL GRATEFUL.
>> Wendy: IS THERE A DIFFERENCE
WHEN YOU WRITE THEM OR LISTENING
TO THEM, IS THERE A DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN AN ENGLISH SONG AND
FRENCH SONG?
>> Interview: THERE IS.
IT IS LIKE SPEAKING.
MY BRAIN SWITCHES ONE WAY OR
ANOTHER.
IF I SPEAK IN ENGLISH, I WILL
THINK IN ENGLISH AND VICE VERSA.
>> Wendy: ARE THE SONGS
DIFFERENT?
>> Interview: MORE DIRECT IN
ENGLISH.
THERE IS A NOSTALGIA IN FRENCH
THAT IS NOT THERE WHEN I WRITE
IN ENGLISH.
I THINK BECAUSE IT IS NEW TO ME.
[♪♪♪♪♪♪]
IT IS A VERY DIFFERENT FEELING.
I AM GLAD I GOT TO, YOU KNOW,
PLAY WITH IT A LITTLE BIT.
>> Wendy: YOU ARE A CLASSICAL
PIANIST.
YOU STARTED AT AGE 3, YOUR MOM
THOUGHT YOU WERE LACKING FOCUS
AND PUSHED YOU INTO PIANO.
>> Interview: YES, I THINK I HAD
AN ATTENTION DEFICIT.
NOT A BIG ONE.
I DID NOT PAY ATTENTION TO
ANYONE.
I THINK THAT WAS HER WAY OF
TELLING ME YOU NEED TO LEARN HOW
TO CONCENTRATE AND CHANNEL WHAT
YOU HAVE INSIDE OF YOU, YOU
KNOW, NOT TO LASH OUT AND NOT DO
ANYTHING STUPID.
I AM GLAD THAT SHE, YOU KNOW,
INTRODUCED ME TO THAT.
LATER ON WHEN I HAD SOMETHING
DEEP AND SOMETHING TO TALK
ABOUT, I COULD ACTUALLY EXPRESS
IT IN MUSIC.
IT REALLY HELPED ME.
>> Wendy: YOU BECAME A HUGE
SENSATION AT 18.
IT SOUNDS LIKE A LOT OF YOUR
SONGS SOUND TORTURED.
IS THAT A NORMAL 18-YEAR-OLD
THING?
WAS IT A BIT HARD ON YOU FOR A
WHILE?
>> Interview: I THINK FOR
ANYBODY THAT HAS GROWN INTO SOME
KIND OF STARDOM, I DON'T THINK I
WAS THAT FAMOUS.
I WASN'T LIKE JUSTIN BIEBER
FAMOUS.
PEOPLE DID KNOW ME.
ESPECIALLY IN FRANCE.
THERE IS A SYSTEM WE DON'T HAVE
IN CANADA.
EVEN IN MONTREAL, ALL OF A
SUDDEN EVERYBODY KIND OF KNEW ME
AND KNEW WHO I WAS.
MONTREAL IS KIND OF A SMALL
TOWN.
IT IS NOT A SMALL, SMALL TOWN.
PEOPLE DO KNOW EACH OTHER.
ESPECIALLY FROM WHERE I AM FROM.
TO HAVE THAT THROWN ON ME AT 18,
IT FORCED ME TO GROW UP AT A
CERTAIN PACE.
I HAD TO, YOU KNOW, TAKE ON
CERTAIN RESPONSIBILITIES.
THAT'S A LOT TO DO.
I AM GLAD I GOT TO DO IT.
I AM GLAD I GOT THIS THAT WAS
DIFFERENT.
TODAY I LOOK BACK ON IT AND I AM
ACTUALLY HAPPY.
>> Wendy: ONE OF YOUR HEROS WAS
AMY WYNHOUSE.
[♪♪♪♪♪♪]
>> Interview: YEAH.
>> Wendy: I READ THAT HER DEATH
REALLY GOT TO YOU?
>> Interview: IT DOESN'T HAPPEN
OFTEN.
HUMANS, THEY SOMETIMES DIE.
>> Wendy: WAS IT YOUR MUSIC OR
HAVING TO LIVE SUCH HIGHS AND
LOWS AS A STAR?
>> Interview: I THINK IT WAS HER
CASE WAS HORRIBLE BECAUSE PEOPLE
WERE JUST WAITING FOR THAT TO
HAPPEN.
I THINK THE PRESS IS RELENTLESS.
I THINK THAT WAS HORRIBLE
BECAUSE SHE WAS SUCH A FRAGILE
SOUL.
SHE GAVE EVERYTHING TO LOVE.
THAT EVENTUALLY DESTROYED HER.
MAYBE SHE HAD ISSUES SOMEWHERE
ELSE WITH ADDICTION AND
EVERYTHING ELSE.
YES, I CAN RELATE TO THAT.
I DON'T -- I MEAN TODAY I HAVE A
DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE ON THINGS,
I AM A MOM AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
IT WAS INSANE WHAT HAPPENED.
I THINK PEOPLE PUT HER THERE.
>> Wendy: YOU HAVE TALKED ABOUT
YOUR LYRICS AND YOUR LIFE GOING
THROUGH ROUGH TIMES AND THEN YOU
MET A TATTOO ARTIST.
>> Interview: I DID.
I MEAN IT WAS NICE BECAUSE I WAS
SO -- I DEDICATED AN ALBUM TO
ONE PERSON AND I THOUGHT AFTER
THAT BREAK UP NOBODY WOULD LOVE
ME, THAT IS USUALLY HOW IT GOES.
I MET THIS PERSON, MY HUSBAND.
I DON'T KNOW, HE ACCEPTED ME THE
WAY I WAS.
I WAS UNDONE.
I WAS A WORK IN PROGRESS.
HE ACCEPTED ME FOR WHO I WAS.
THAT WAS NICE.
W
>> Wendy: YOU HAVE A BABY, MORE
THAN A BABY.
>> Interview: HE IS THREE AND A
HALF.
>> Wendy: HOW MUCH HAS THAT
CHANGED YOU?
>> Interview: IT CHANGES
EVERYTHING.
YOU CHANGES YOU AS A PERSON, AS
A SONG WRITER.
WHATEVER I DO NOW, I THINK ABOUT
HER FIRST AND FOREMOST.
I THINK ABOUT MYSELF SORT OF,
SHE IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN
ANYTHING.
WHATEVER I DO, I TRY TO THINK
HOW IT WILL IMPACT HER.
EVEN IN SONG WRITING, I WANT TO
WRITE SONGS THAT INSPIRE HER.
>> Wendy: UP LIFTING AND
HAPPINESS.
>> Interview: UPLIFTING PER SE.
I AM GOING THROUGH SOME THINGS
AT TIMES.
I NEED TO TALK ABOUT THEM AS
WELL.
WE ALL HAVE OUR INSECURITIES AND
THOUGH WE CAN BE HAPPY, I THINK
THAT IS WHAT IS INTERESTING AS A
SONG WRITER THAT YOU GET TO
ACTUALLY EXPLORE THAT AS WELL
AND, I DON'T KNOW, I LIKE SEEING
THE LIGHT AT THE END OF THE
TUNNEL NOW.
>> Wendy: YOU WERE IN FRANCE
PERFORMING WHEN THE ATTACKS
HAPPENED.
WHAT WAS THAT LIKE?
>> Interview: IT WAS VERY WEIRD
BECAUSE I DIDN'T SEE IT
HAPPENING.
I WAS IN MY APARTMENT WITH MY
HUSBAND AND MY KID WAS SLEEPING.
WE WERE WATCHING A TV SHOW.
WE WENT TO BED VERY EARLY THAT
NIGHT.
I REMEMBER MY DAD TEXTING ME,
ARE YOU HOME AT AROUND 10 P.M.
SURE, WHY ARE YOU ASKING ME
THIS.
WE WENT TO BED AND THE NEXT
MORNING I GOT SO MANY TEXT
MESSAGES FROM PEOPLE SAYING ARE
YOU OKAY.
AND THEN IT WAS SURREAL BECAUSE
IT WAS HAPPENING TO CLOSE TO
WHERE WE WERE.
WE WEREN'T THERE.
WE DON'T KNOW HOW IT WENT DOWN
REALLY, BUT IT WAS JUST HITTING
SO CLOSE TO HOME BECAUSE IT WAS
HITTING THE PERFORMANCE ART
SCENE.
IT WAS IN A VENUE WHERE WE
PLAYED.
MY BAND AND MY PLAYED.
>> Wendy: YOU PLAYED THERE?
>> Interview: TO HAVE SOMETHING
HAPPEN THERE WAS KIND OF
SURREAL, I DIDN'T THINK IT WOULD
EVER HAPPEN.
ONE OF THE BIGGEST FEARS TO HAVE
AN ATTACK HAPPEN IN A VENUE.
IT WAS HORRIBLE.
PEOPLE GO THERE TO HAVE A GOOD
TIME AND IT HAPPENS.
>> Wendy: YOU HAVE BEEN
NOMINATED AS BEST SONG WRITER
WITH OTHER GREAT CANADIANS.
>> Interview: THAT WAS COOL TO
GET THAT NOD.
AS A SONG WRITER, THAT IS THE
ONE YOU WANT TO GET BECAUSE YOU
WRITE SONGS AND THAT IS WHAT I
HAVE BEEN DOING MY WHOLE LIFE.
IT WAS -- I DON'T KNOW, TO BE
RECOGNIZED WITH SOMEBODY WHO CAN
DO IT PROPERLY, BY YOUR PEERS,
THAT IS AMAZING.