Ishana shares a music video for her new single, “Whole Again”
Ishana, the Montreal-based roots-folk singer-songwriter may be relatively new, but she is also an empathetic musician. Her songs feel like soothing, musical therapy sessions when she conveys a wide array of emotions and harnesses their power through music.
Her latest single “Whole Again,” is about moving past a dark or painful part of one’s life but being present during the reflection of the experience. The instrumentation of light acoustic guitar, subtle piano, and strings guides the listener as we latch onto Ishana’s pure and soothing voice. It’s as if she’s singing the song directly to her listener under a starry sky, as moments of their life flash in the sky.
Suffering and melancholy exist not to deprive us of our dignity but to transfigure us and set us on a new path, and “Whole Again” is meant to be a companion of that reflection.
“I believe that we can all work our way back through our pain and traumas, with a generous dose of compassion, gentleness, and understanding towards ourselves, and eventually become whole again,” Ishana says.
Ishana is currently working on creating a home studio to release a five to seven-song EP by the end of 2022 or 2023.
Watch the video for “Whole Again” below, and find out more about Ishana via our Five Questions With segment.
Care to introduce yourself to our readers?
My name is Ishana. I’m a singer-songwriter and music producer from Montreal, Canada. I’ve been exploring songwriting since I was 14 ebbing and flowing through the genres of pop, folk-pop, pop rock and alternative, country-pop, and R&B. My music is driven by vocal and instrumental textures, syncopated rhythms that are fun, and vulnerability in its meaning.
Tell us a bit about your most recent release.
My latest release is a single called “Whole Again”. It’s about going through trials in life and sings to kids who struggle with feeling loved and at home with where they are and whom they’re with. It’s a gentle but powerful reminder to keep your chin up when things are looking down, even if you have to let the tears flow out and to remember that true home is found within. I wrote it with the intention of comforting a kid I saw on the train one day many years ago, but I like singing it to anyone of any age and speaking to their inner child who may need a little comforting.
When it comes to the global pandemic, how are you keeping yourself out in the public eye while not being able to perform?
I’ve just released the official music video for “Whole Again” on my Youtube channel! Prior to that, I spent some time in my bubble drawing the animated video version for it (I’ve never thought of myself as good at drawing, but I was inspired and was given some tips, and it worked out! It was so fun to make!).
I actually quite enjoy being out of the public eye and cocooning to bring creative ideas to life in a timeless way (recording audio and visuals, apparently now through various means). I think music videos are so fun and are the best way to convey the full vision of a song to an audience without a live performance. It really ties the experience of a song together. I look forward to making more.
Canadian Beats is all about Canadian music, so if you were able to work with ONE fellow Canadian artist, alive or dead, who would you choose?
I would love to work with Billy Talent. They just seem very kind, giving, and transparent. I went to one of their concerts recently and they were encouraging fans to bring canned food for people in need. It’s something I would like to do with my music too – give back. And they seem to have a great work ethic and musicianship. I was a fan of theirs when I was 12 or something. I was recently reintroduced to their music after many years of pause and they are really cool. I appreciate their music even more than back then! I’m all about that millennial nostalgia.
What’s your goal for 2022?
To really value my time and use it efficiently. Time flies so you gotta make the most of it while you got it. This was my resolution at the start of the year. I want to add valuing peace over hype. And keep nurturing my spiritual development. Aside from that, I want to create a home studio and begin mixing and finalizing all the songs that have been sitting on my computer – to finally share them with my listeners and enjoy them all together!