10 Questions with local singer-songwriter Sierra Noble

 As far as live music, it’s the same—wherever I am, if I have some time off, I will ask where some good live music is and I’m off!

Your favourite spot to play/sing?
Is “on stage in front of a good audience” too general? I really just love to and live for being on stage. I love creating music and songwriting, and being in the studio. But when it comes down to it, I wouldn’t be a very happy person if I wasn’t able to get up on stage and create a fun, emotion-filled, and intimate experience with an audience. I love trying to take my audiences some kind of journey, whether it’s cultural, emotional, spiritual or just fun, I want them to go away feeling like they know me a bit and like they’ve experienced something special.

The best thing about living in Winnipeg?
The people. Winnipeggers are like no other in the world. Kind, humble and open-minded, usually coupled with a wickedly funny sarcastic sense of humour. Being an artist, Winnipeg was an incredible place to grow up and is still a great place to live in. There is a wonderful grass roots support and respect for artists of all kinds here—dancers, actors, visual artists, musicians…there is a place and a love for us all.

Who or what most inspires you?
I have had incredible people as inspirations throughout my life as a musician. My late best friend Oliver Schroer was a true gem in not only in Canadian music but in the world, with his music having the ability to ignore any one genre except iTunes’ “uncategorizable,” and take people on a journey to places of their minds and spirits that this crazy and fast paced world often doesn’t allow. Bruce Cockburn, who I am blessed to call a friend of mine, was an inspiration since my mom first introduced me to his music. Not only as the incredible musician that he is, but as the possibly even more incredibly person and humanitarian that he is. There is a list that could go on and on, and people who I would love to pay tribute to as inspirations to me, but I think that it’s pretty safe to say that I’m inspired everyday by people that I meet, and their stories. If you take the time to listen, everyone has a story that will change or inspire your life in some way.  

What was it like to open for Sir Paul McCartney?
It was an experience unlike any other. There was a lot of screaming when I got the call, and a lot of pacing in my hotel room the morning of the show. I think it was overwhelming enough just to know that Paul McCartney had listened to my music, but to be given that chance of a lifetime was absolutely unbelievable. To feel the energy in that crowd was amazing, and admittedly completely addicting.

Who would you love to collaborate with?
I would love it if one day Bruce Cockburn and I could write and record an album together. I would also love to write with Shawn Colvin, John Hiatt, and Emmy-Lou Harris, who are a few of my all-time favourite singer songwriters. And this may come as a surprise, but I’ve always wanted to record a drum and bass inspired album. Now I know that needs some explaining (ha ha). About three straight years of my childhood, my sister Terra (DJ Terra) was one of Canada’s top D&B spin DJs, so everyday that’s all I heard pumping through the house.

You do a lot of humanitarian work – what cause is closest to your heart?
Until everyone on the planet, especially women and children, has enough food to eat, and are healthy, safe, and educated, I will never be able to say that one cause is closer to my heart than another. There are causes that I have put a lot of energy into in my life, such as the landmine issue, war affected children, inner city youth, the health and state of northern aboriginal communities, but this is only a start. It has been proven to me over and over again throughout my life that the power of one, and the power of the voice of children and youth, can and do change minds, lives, and the world. “You must be the change you wish to see in the world.”

How will you be spending your holidays?
With family, like always. We used to gather at home in Winnipeg, but since both of my sisters now live in Toronto, and one has started a beautiful family of her own, we now gather around her and the little ones. Home is where the heart is as they say, and our hearts are with family. This year our hearts reside in Toronto.  

Do you have any holiday traditions?
One that I always loved growing up was the Advent time. We had a hand-made Nativity table, and every morning for the whole month of December I would get to unwrap another piece of the Nativity scene. I would rush down every morning to see what would be there. It was modeled after very old traditions that honoured both the earth and the Creator. Each week a different part of our Earth was honoured. We started the minerals the first week, the plants the second week, and then the animals and birds, and lastly the people. 

What’s next for you?
Well, that’s a really exciting question to me right now. I’ve been doing a lot of songwriting this year, which has been so new and inspiring to me. My journey this year into becoming a singer-songwriter has been amazing and really motivating, has introduced me to some incredible people, and opened some huge doors for me. I’m planning the recording and release of a new full-length album for 2010, and dreaming of a great tour to go along with it. I guess all I can say is, as much hard work as it is, I feel like I’m truly living my dream, and I hope it doesn’t stop anytime soon!