A trio of sibling musicians from Nova Scotia is not about to let COVID-19 stop them from getting noticed.
Like many artists during the pandemic, they have taken their talents online.
Known as The Gilberts, the sibling trio is from Centre Burlington in Hants County, Nova Scotia. Before the pandemic began, they were about to realize their dream of cutting their first album in a professional music studio.
“We were just getting ready when the pandemic hit and those plans got cancelled,” said Frieden Gilbert.
Freiden is the oldest member of the folk music group at 21. His brother Reuben, 19, and sister Maisie, 17, complete the trio.
Unable to perform live or in the studio, the siblings, isolated at home amid the pandemic, found themselves with plenty of time on their hands and got creative.
“We have amassed quite a bit of recording over the past year and we are learning how to use it,” said Reuben.
Upstairs in the loft of their home, they broke out the microphones and grabbed their instruments, he said, recording a live cut of their original song, “Figures.”
They posted the tune to the Ultimate Nova Scotia Kitchen Party – COVID-19 Edition Facebook page, hoping to get a few hits.
It turns out they were a hit.
“After posting this Facebook video we have been getting traffic to our website from all around the world, Peru, Australia, Europe,” said Frieden.
The positive feedback has motivated the siblings to cut that single after all, using their own gear, determined not to let the pandemic spoil their dream.
“We are going to work on a more highly-produced version with the hopes of getting some radio play and on popular streaming platforms,” said Reuben.
The pandemic has not silenced the music industry, says Canadian music publicist Eric Alper of Toronto. He said it has simply encouraged more artists take their talents online.
“They are making new video whether it is a live video or live to tape or lyric videos or doing acoustic versions of old songs,” said Alper
Alper says Canadian artists are actually releasing more music amid the pandemic in part to ease boredom.
“Those artists that continue to create and release music might just be well be rewarded after this pandemic is over,” he said.
Maisie agrees.
“We will have a lot more material to write about after this,” she said.
Questions about COVID-19? Here are some things you need to know:
Health officials caution against all international travel. Returning travellers are legally obligated to self-isolate for 14 days, beginning March 26, in case they develop symptoms and to prevent spreading the virus to others. Some provinces and territories have also implemented additional recommendations or enforcement measures to ensure those returning to the area self-isolate.
Symptoms can include fever, cough and difficulty breathing — very similar to a cold or flu. Some people can develop a more severe illness. People most at risk of this include older adults and people with severe chronic medical conditions like heart, lung or kidney disease. If you develop symptoms, contact public health authorities.
To prevent the virus from spreading, experts recommend frequent handwashing and coughing into your sleeve. They also recommend minimizing contact with others, staying home as much as possible and maintaining a distance of two metres from other people if you go out.
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