Interview – Shirley Eikhard

Legendary singer/songwriter Shirley Eikhard has unveiled her latest album, On My Way To You, along with a new single, “Anything Is Possible”.

The Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame alumni is sharing her talents and vivacious songwriting on a brand new album, full of 12 future classics honing and spotlighting her sensational talent as a songbird and performer.

A career spanning more than 40 years, with accolades decorating her tenure in the music community, Eikhard experiments with modern sounds on this new album and plucks from her flair for the pop music that created her a staple in the songwriting scene.

On My Way To You leads a musical journey, through a soundscape of wonderment and excitement. While Eikhard reminds you “Anything Is Possible” on the opening track, she is unafraid to become vulnerable on songs like, “Good News”; both an inescapable prose of the grittier hardship of life and a desperate wish to change someone’s narrative. “Monsters In The Dark” is a poppy-jazz number, juxtaposed with dark lyrics, highlighting Eikhard’s unique capability of intertwining struggles with a catchy upbeat hook.

Take a moment to check out “Anything Is Possible” below, and find out more about Shirley via our mini-interview.

https://open.spotify.com/track/62Rhv8MTguZeQ1VQ2gETc5?si=b7034dd4f9fc4f89&nd=1

Tell us about the making of “Anything Is Possible”. When did you decide you wanted to be so optimistic in a song like this?

Making “Anything Is Possible” was two years in the making. Covid left so many of us, musicians/songwriters, with nothing to do but practice and write songs.

“Anything Is Possible” is like the “glass is half full” or “empty” and I choose to believe it’s half full. To face adversity be it illness, covid, or whatever takes a lot of patience, belief in the basic principles of life that you can overcome almost anything with enough spirit, perseverance, and focus. It became my mantra for the last two years. And like most things in life, it’s a work in progress as life can change on a dime. So living in the moment is all we can do.

Did you ever think about what would have happened if you never got the phone message from Bonnie Raitt who wanted to record your “Something To Talk About?”?

If Bonnie Raitt had never recorded my song, I would have eventually left the music business as I’m very shy in nature. I’m not really good at promoting myself which is what new artists have to do every day so I’m so grateful the big break came for me before all of that.

What’s it like being a member of the Canadian Songwriter Hall of Fame?

Being a member of the Canadian Songwriter Hall of Fame is the ultimate pinnacle for me. To know something I wrote so many years ago is now among

Other songs by my heroes, Leonard Cohen, Joni Mitchell, Gordon Lightfoot, and Bachman / Cummings is such an honour and I’m humbled by the thought.

Canadian Beats is all about Canadian music, so who are your current favourite Canadian bands/ artists?

I really respect and enjoy listening to Sarah Harmer, Alanis Morrisette, Dean Brody, Jimmy Rankin, and Jann Arden.

Connect with Shirley Eikhard:
Website