Music's Journey Podcast
INTERVIEW
w/ Canadian Country's Rising Star 'Abby Stewart'
Hosted by Kim Cyr
Presented by NOW and THEN Magazine
www.musicsjourney.com
https://www.nowandthenmagazine.com
New Single
''Bless Your Heart''
Abby Stewart is a 20-year-old singer/songwriter from Kingston, Ontario. A true Canadian girl, she fishes, plays hockey and softball but feels most at home on the music stage achieving some pretty impressive success.
In 2014, she opened for Hunter Hayes on his Tattoo Your Name Canadian Tour dates along with Dan + Shay, and has had the privilege of singing duets with Dean Brody, Dallas Smith and Aaron Pritchett. She has opened for many Canadian talents, most recently Cold Creek County at her hometowns Rockin' In the Square, Brett Kissel in Toronto at the CNE and in Ottawa on his Ice, Snow and 30 Below Tour, as well as for Tebey, Michelle Wright, Emerson Drive, Tim Hicks and many others.
She has had the great pleasure of performing at some of Canada’s biggest fairs and music festivals, including Boots and Hearts Music Festival, Havelock Country Jamboree, Ottawa Bluesfest, Trackside Music Fest and several more.
Abby released her EP "Firsts", in 2015 which included her radio release “I’m Still Faster”, followed by her first music video, which now has over half a million views on YouTube. In 2017 she collaborated with Invictus Entertainment, Big Star Records and released a duet entitled "What If They're Wrong?" to national Canadian radio which was either added or featured on 22 stations from coast to coast.
Here are just some of the highlights from singing competitions and band performances.
2009 - Kingston Fall Fair Country Music Showdown Jr. Division - 3rd place
2010 - Kingston Fall Fair Country Music Showdown Jr. Division - 1st place
2010 - The Tweed Fair - 1st 2010 - Frontenac Old Time Music Championship - 1st
2011 - Toronto's CNE's Rising Star Competition - 2nd
2011 - Kingston Fall Fair Country Music Showdown Open Division - 2nd
2011 - Frontenac Old Time Music Championship - 1st
2011 - Napanee's Cangig Festival - 1st
2011 - Perform at the Marmora Jamboree
2011 - Perform at the K -Town Countdown to New Years Eve at the K-Rock Centre
2012 - Kingston Fall Fair Country Music Showdown Open Division - 1st
2012 - Voice of the Rideau Singing Competition - 1st
2012 - Perform at the Tweed Stampede and Jamboree
2012 - Perform at the Marmora Jamboree
2012 - Perform at the K -Town Countdown to New Years Eve At the K-Rock Centre
2013 - First radio release "She's Thinking with Her Heart" written by Steve Wilkinson of Grammy-nominated and Juno Award winners, The Wilkinson's
2013 - Perform at the Cangig Music Festival
2013 - Perform at the Marmora Jamboree
2013 - Perform at the Scarecrow Festival
2013 - Headliner, at the K -Town Countdown to New Years Eve At the K-Rock Centre
2013 - Headliner, Country Music in the Park Summer Series
2013 - Boots & Hearts Music Festival, Sirius XM Emerging Artist Showcase (1 of 8 selected from across Canada)
2014 - Perform "Bounty" with Canadian Country Music Star and Juno Winner Dean Brody
2014 - RBC Bluesfest "She's the One" (1 of 8 selected from across Canada)
2014 - Sterling Fair opening for Tebey and Brett Kissel
2014 - Havelock Country Music Jamboree
2014 - Opening for Hunter Hayes and Dan + Shay on the Canadian dates of "The Tattoo (Your Name) Tour"
2015 - First music video production of "I'm Still Faster" with over 210,000 views on Youtube
2015 - First EP entitled "Firsts" a compilation of the 5 original songs she has written or co-written
2015 - Spencerville Stampede/Capital Country Music Fest opening for Brett Kissel and Emerson Drive, 1 hour set
2015 - Boots and Hearts Music Festival
2016 - Opening for Tim Hicks at the Garrison Family Fun Fest
2016 - Hometown Country Celebration with The Abrams and The River Town Saints
2017 - Winner of Brett Kissel's National contest Ice, Snow & 30 Below opening for him in Ottawa, Ontario
2017 - Headliner at DIFA Music Festival, Brockville Ontario
2017 - 103 Country Kamloops BC's Birthday Bash opening for Aaron Pritchett and Cory Marquardt
2017 - Headliner at Stage for Change in Woodstock Ontario
2017 - Chill On the Hill at Fort Henry with Rascal Flats, Meghan Patrick and a duet with Aaron Pritchett
2017 - Havelock Country Music Jamboree
2017 - Opening for Brett Kissel at the Canadian National Exhibition (CNE) in Toronto Ontario
2017 - Duet with Beamer Wigley "What If They're Wrong?" to Canadian national radio with Invictus Entertainment
2017 - National radio promotion of "What If They're Wrong?"
2017 - Shooting "What If They're Wrong music video in Toronto Ontario
2017 - Perform "Nothing But Summer" with CCMA winner Dallas Smith
2018 - Trackside Music Festival, 1 hour set
2018 - Rocking the Square opening for Cold Creek County
2018 - Tweed Stampede, 1 hour set
2018 - Joshua Bates Centre, headliner 2 hour set
2019 - Inaugural YGK Emerging Musicians Competition Winner (1 of 6 winners)
2019 - Ottawa RBC Bluesfest, 1 hour set
2019 - CTV Morning Live to promote Ottawa RBC Bluesfest
2021 - Release of "Bless Your Heart" to Canadian county radio and official music video
Whether you hear her at an intimate cafe or a massive music festival, you will be amazed at that perfect pitch and powerful voice coming from such a young rising star.
''You can't help but be pretty impressed with Canadian Country's Rising Star Abby Stewart,'' says Kim Cyr, Editor in Chief for NOW and THEN Magazine and host of the International Music's Journey Podcast. ''Stewart is such a bright light in country music today. She knew her way around a song and how to tap into that singer/songwriter storytelling magic very early on in her life as you can see with her tremendous success on so many different stages with the top of the Canadian Country Superstars roster already. Now that is impressive,'' says Cyr.
''It's nice to strip back all of that success and hear Stewart talk about how much she missed by being in the music industry so young and then to see the flip side of the business and being so grateful for all that she has accomplished. She has been on stage with some of the best and she is just getting started. The stars are the limit for this young powerhouse. The songwriting and navigation around a song and delivering a vocal with the emotion and understanding of the lyrics takes years of practice. Stewart gets every bit of that and what it takes to achieve this with hard work. Abby Stewart is the real deal and without a doubt, a star in the making,'' says Cyr.
''Abby Stewart is really connected to her home in Kingston and all the places that support local artists like the market square. She has such a huge fan base within the Kingston music scene. It all starts at the local singing competitions, festivals, and fairs...Abby got out there performing her songs and writing every chance she could. Fans are in love with her beautiful vocals and now we are seeing the next junction in her musical journey. She is all grown up and better than ever! I can't wait for you to hear this interview... Stewart opens up about what was hard for her being in the spotlight so young, missing out on doing things that young girls would be doing, and then being able to appreciate and love what she has learned from starting so young. She has a great head on her shoulders and she appreciates the incredible opportunities she has had to build relationships with so many world-class producers and songwriters in Nashville and in Canada.'' To have the opportunity to work with Sharp9Music, Bill Miller and the multi-award-winning producer Jeff Dalziel is just the icing on the top of the cake,'' says Cyr.
''Jeff Dalziel is the most talented, caring award-winning producer that performs magic with every artist he works with,'' says Cyr. ''I really want to be a fly on the wall for one of these recording sessions. Wait, let me manifest that thought, not to be a fly on a wall but to be invited to watch and film a recording session with Jeff to see what this world-class producer can do. Pray for me and maybe I will get that invite and show you the magic that happens in the studio with Dalziel. Artists go in one way and come out a completely transformed artist with an understanding of exactly what they are capable of. It's insane how he can read an artist and know exactly what to do with their vocals and mold that song into a masterpiece,'' says Cyr.
To hear what Jeff Dalziel taught Abby Stewart in the studio during production on her new single ''Bless Your Heart'' and all the cool things she shares in my burning questions segment of the interview, click on the link below.
Abby Stewart - Bless Your Heart (Official Video)
Abby and Beamer - What If They're Wrong? - Official Music Video
Abby Stewart - I'm Still Faster
Abby Stewart sings Taylor Swift's "Should've Said No" The Beginning
Follow Abby Stewart
