Basia Bulat Finds Inspiration in Silence of Canadian North

When writing music for her second album, 'Heart of My Own,' Toronto-based folk singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Basia Bulat found inspiration in a most unlikely place: Dawson City, Yukon. While other musicians immerse themselves in the grit and guts of noisy New York or busting London to write about life and love, the sweet, 25-year old blond found her sophomore voice while surrounded by silence.

After two years of non-stop "touring, touring, touring" in support of her first album -- Polaris Prize-nominated 'Oh My Darling,' which was recorded by Howard Bilerman in 2006 at Montreal's Hotel 2 Tango studios -- she experienced something entirely different when she finally touched down in Dawson City.

"All of a sudden there was just this immense quiet," says Bulat of the five influential days she spent in the remote northern Canadian locale. "I had never experienced that kind of quiet before, so much solitude and peace. It's a really inspiring place, you get filled with ideas just walking around. Just the landscape was such a fortifying thing for me."

Taking a cue from her surroundings, there's a song called "Gold Rush," an obvious Yukon reference. More subtly, her voice sounds strong and fortified on the record, calling to mind the early stylings of Natalie Merchant of 10,000 Maniacs, but sweeter. Bulat was also able to reflect upon life changes and explore that which endures through times of change -- a theme that resonates through the album.

"Even the title, 'Heart of My Own,' is about trying to find out what things remain constant for me no matter where I am," she says. "It's about me asking these questions. That happened up there."

Lyrically, songs like "Run" and "Sugar and Spice" also explore this theme of looking for answers, of trying to figure out who we are and why we feel the way we do.



Signed to Secret City records in Canada, Bulat, who plays not only guitar, but also autoharp, banjo, ukelele, saxophone and flute, teamed up with Bilerman once again to record her new album. 'Heart of My Own' will be released Jan. 26 in North America, and Bulat heads back out on the road again Jan. 16.