From watching her grandfather Ray St. Germain perform on sold-out stages to scoring a Manitoba Country Music Award (MCMA), music runs in Catie St. Germain’s blood.
After playing in cover bands for 15 years, the Red River Métis musician is charting a new path as a solo singer-songwriter.
“Since I was like, 18, I was in the bars around Winnipeg and kind of branched out into North America,” she said. “I feel like I got a lot of experience as a performer that way, but I definitely knew that I wanted to try my hand at writing my own songs.”
This Friday, St. Germain will release her debut EP, Cleaning House (Or Trying). The dynamic country-pop album meditates on motherhood, relationships and the singer’s undying passion for music.
Last year, St. Germain kickstarted her solo career by releasing her first single, The Taxman. While initially drawn to songwriting, her children were also a major source of inspiration.
“I’ve got three boys at home that are kind of watching me and I’m constantly telling them you can do anything you put your mind to, and yet I wasn’t,” she said. “So they definitely were my inspiration.”
Growing up in a family of accomplished musicians, performing came naturally to the singer-songwriter.
“I grew up listening to my grandpa on NCI, you know, they’d have the Metis Hour x2,” she said. “So I really tend to gravitate towards fiddle and all of that in my music.”
Her forthcoming EP will feature fiddle melodies, paying homage to her Métis roots.
She said combining music and motherhood is a balancing act. As she gears up for the summer festival circuit, she looks forward to giving her children a taste of the unique, musical experience she grew up with.
“A lot of (the shows) are family-friendly, so they can come, which is really cool and special,” St. Germain said. “They get to watch me perform, which also brings back a lot of flashbacks of when I was a kid, watching my mom and my grandpa perform.”
St. Germain’s debut EP is set for release on all major streaming platforms on Friday, May 24.
