When we reach Geraldine Hollett, lead singer of folk trio The Once, she’s at home in St. John’s, Newfoundland, hanging out with her cats. Or should we say, “fellow musicians.”
Her Tabby, Margie, can be heard on several of the group’s recordings. “If I sing, she feels she has to sing,” laughs Geraldine. “If you put a little verb on her she sounds amazing.” And Barney often plays the piano. “Very dark stuff, it matches his personality.”
However, the point of our conversation is not, in fact, cats. It’s the group’s new record, Out Here, which launched Feb. 16. It’s their first in six years.
“It feels so good,” Geraldine says, “We’ve taken a long time with this album.” They used to feel more pressure to churn out new records quickly, she says. “But it sort of limits the magic that can happen when you can take your time and feel at peace with it.”
Fellow Newfoundlanders and vocalist-instrumentalists Phil Churchill and Andrew Dale round out the group. Together since 2006, they’ve amassed a pile of accolades, including two Canadian Folk Music Awards, and are renowned for their beautiful three-part harmonizing.
They recorded the album in Geraldine and Phil’s home studio, built during the pandemic. It came together incredibly smoothly, she says. “Creatively we’re all in a very similar boat this time, because of all the years of travelling and living similar lives. It felt like we arrived at it so organically,” she says, and laughs, “it will probably never happen again.”
Soon they’ll take Out There, well, out there. Their first tour of the year, through Ontario and the Maritimes, begins in a month. “2024 holds a tentative move towards moving back into the universe, into the world of touring,” Geraldine says.
When asked if she could name a favourite song on the album, she laughs. “We’ve been going through, song by song, giving everybody a little snippet, doing these little videos online and every day I think, ‘Oh my god, I love this song, I’m so proud of this, it’s so special,’” she laughs.
“We can’t wait to be on tour and we can’t wait for people to hear the record. May it give people some peace in hectic times, and space where there’s no space.”
There aren’t yet any dates announced for western Canada but take heart, there is a rumour afoot that The Once may be setting foot on Albertan soil at some point in the fall. Keep an eye on their website for updates.
“The Bend” from The Once’s fresh new album Out There.
