From early on in her life, Janelle Nadeau knew exactly what she wanted to do. 

“I told my parents when I was three years old that I wanted to play the harp,” she says. “There was no other option or question. That’s what I wanted to do.”

It was a career path that may have seemed to be at odds with the profession of her parents, who are grain farmers in Fannystelle, MB. Regardless, they were always supportive of her goals. 

“My parents aren’t really musical, but music has always been a big part of their lives,” Nadeau says. “The radio was always on, and they took me to so many concerts and live music. It was quite a nurturing environment for me.”

That career path took her to Vancouver, where there’s a high demand for such skills. Nadeau  has been playing almost non-stop ever since graduating from the University of British Columbia’s harp performance program in 2008.

“I’ve got lots of things on the go, playing in orchestras, operas and touring with my musical group, Winter Harp,” she says. “Not everyone can make a living playing music, so I feel very honoured and quite thankful that I have that opportunity.”

All of those opportunities have culminated in the recording of her first album These Roads, an apt title considering the role of the places she’s been and people she’s met have had on her songwriting.

“All of my songs have been drawn directly from my life, and they’re inspired by the different paths I’ve been on,” Nadeau says. “From the country roads, to being in the city, I’m inspired by the amazing people I’ve encountered in my life.”

The album itself is unlike anything else on the market today. Nadeau describes it as “different and unique, yet wholly mainstream.” It features not only her trademark harp, but an array of various other instruments and vocals. While musician Stephen Fisk was instrumental in helping her through the recording process, every aspect of the record has Nadeau’s fingerprints on it. 

“I was part of every step, including the production and album artwork,” she says. “I was so fortunate to have Stephen help me because he had a clear vision for the project and we were absolutely on the same wavelength. It’s so important to the creative process to be in sync with the producer, and if you have good people around you, you can make a good product.”

Jaylene Johnson, also from Winnipeg, played an equally significant role on the record, co-writing seven of the 12 songs. 

Although she lives in Vancouver now, Nadeau remains a proud Manitoban and comes back every chance she gets, including during the summer months where she still helps her parents with the crop harvest. 

“There’s just something good about it,” she says of her home province. “The people are good, and every time you meet a Manitoban it puts a smile on your face.”

Published in Volume 69, Number 5 of The Uniter (October 1, 2014)