A local musician has placed second in a national songwriting competition.
Stephanie Mainville’s single Wait was named runner-up in the Canadian Radio Star competition, held as part of Canadian Music Week. You can here the single here.
Mainville is appearing tonight on Serf City to perform her music. The weekly radio show is broadcast on CFMH 107.3 FM from 6:30 to 7:00 pm. It is hosted by local journalist Mark Leger.
A Saint John native, Mainville describes her music as Celtic based gospel. She is a member of the New Brunswick Gospel Music Hall of Fame and, in 2006, she was nominated for an East Coast Music Award in the Gospel music category.
Wait was chosen based on a mix of fan voting and judging by a group of fellow songwriters.
In January, Mainville, 38, was selected as one of 12 regional finalists. Last winter, musicians from each province submitted their work to a sponsoring radio station in their community. From this pool, a regional winner was selected who then went on to the national competition in Toronto.
Canadian Music Week is organized by the Songwriters Association of Canada and it raises the profile of regional musicians within the entertainment industry. The yearly event is attended by over 3,000 delegates and it includes educational workshops, showcases for musicians and a new music festival.
The gospel singer is no stranger to the awards stage. Five years ago, Mainville released Family, her first CD, and the album earned her a handful of accolades. Family was nominated for eight award, including an ECMA in 2006. The song Ern’s Waltz was named Instrumental Song of the Year by the Canadian Gospel Music Association of Canada.
This May, she is releasing her second CD. Out of Nowhere is a departure from Mainville’s gospel roots and features an acoustic pop - sound that will have a broader appeal, she says. Recorded in Toronto it also features fellow musician and friend Kevin Fox. A Nova Scotian musician, Fox has worked with Feist, Celine Dion and Tom Cochrane. He plays cello and provides background vocals on the album.
Out of Nowhere will be available at local record stores but you can order a copy from
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