Andrina Turenne used her residency to explore Indigenous and local perspectives on water, language and land through music. In addition to doing research, exploring geographic and cultural throughlines, and speaking with people on the land, she produced recordings and performances of music and stories related to these themes. While in residence Andrina also spent time beading, rendering the leaves of native plants at A Studio in the Woods in beads.

Andrina Turenne is a bilingual singer, songwriter, and musician from Winnipeg, Manitoba. She grew up along the banks of the Red River in the historic Francophone-Métis settlement of Saint-Boniface, and is a proud member of the Métis Nation. She has worked in music for over two decades, from collaborating in groups such as JUNO Award-winning Chic Gamine to a new solo career she has been carving out since 2018. She has contributed vocals to over 30 professionally-released albums and has recorded seven full-length albums. She has played festivals of all sizes and has toured extensively throughout North America, South America, Europe, Australia and Africa. She draws inspiration from her own life experiences and her travels, as well as the rich history and raw beauty of the land she grew from.

“This residency was a powerful immersive experience that allowed me to commune with the land and the water on a daily basis in order to fuel my art. I came with the intention of creating new music inspired by the land and what I came out with goes beyond what I expected. A Studio in the Woods connected me with many thinkers, scholars, musicians and artists with whom I was able to discuss issues around climate, water and land. These discussions led me to expand on my knowledge and dig deeper into questions I had. Perhaps though, the greatest teacher of all was the land itself. I am so grateful for the time I was able to sit peacefully as a guest on the land and listen to its rhythm, from morning to night, as the season moved from winter to spring. Learning about the wildlife and the hardwood bottomland forest filled my soul with inspiration and a determination to continue making art that speaks to the importance of preserving the natural world around us.” – Andrina Turenne

Photo by Brodie Parachoniak.