Sarah McLachlan was in Toronto to present a donation from Sun Life Financial to Melanie Doane’s uSchool and stopped by the ET Canada studio to talk about how important music is in the lives of young people.
“I recognize the power that music gave to me,” the Grammy-winning singer told Cheryl Hickey. “Self worth, and empathy, and team work. To play with other children and other people in an ensemble, it really builds camaraderie, and recognition that we all have something to say and give, and music programs are being cut from public school systems so this is my opportunity to try to fill in that gap in the little way that I can.”
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McLachlan has also been running a free after-school music program in Vancouver for the past 14 years.
“A lot come in never having picked up an instrument before,” she explained of the students. “I watch them go through the program. They’re graduating in grade 12, valedictorians of their schools, going on to post-secondary, becoming lovely songwriters, they’re blossoming, and becoming their most beautiful selves. It’s a beautiful thing.”
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Another beautiful part of McLachlan’s life is her main squeeze, former NHL star Geoff Courtnall. “Things are going fantastically,” the songstress offered. “We’re three years in. He’s a beautiful, sweet man. It’s fantastic… we really respect each other,” she added. “He lightens me up.”
McLachlan’s last album, Shine On, won the 2015 Juno for Adult Contemporary Album of the Year, and she told us she’s currently working on another Christmas record that will come out next year. “I’m just in the beginning process. I’m listening to a bunch of different songs, doing research, trying to figure out some interesting choices. Right now it’s fireside, quiet, mellow, you can put it on the record player and play it start to finish, but it’s early stages, so things might change.”
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