Mimi O'Bonsawin may live in Toronto, but she constantly longs for her hometown. She grew up in the Valley area of Greater Sudbury.
So it's no surprise that O'Bonsawin is coming back home March 31 for a party in honour of the release of her second album, entitled Connected.
She also held an album release party in Toronto March 26 and heads to Kagawong on Manitoulin Island April 1 for a third.
“There's a song or two on this album that are influenced by my longing for home,” said O'Bonsawin, who's been performing since age seven. “I need to go back often and reconnect with the land and the people.”
O'Bonsawin, who studied native studies at Laurentian University for a year, said she also often writes about her aboriginal roots.
Although she grew up in Greater Sudbury, her cultural background is French Canadian and Abanaki (her family's reserve is in Quebec).
“My roots are a big part of who I am, so I make sure that I'm honest to them,” she said. “When the songs come through, my roots come through as well.”
O'Bonsawin had some success with her first album, Mimi, which she released in 2014. That included airplay on radio, a sold-out album release party and even a 2015 Northern Ontario Music and Film Awards nomination for best songwriter for her song “Brave.”
For her second album, O'Bonsawin and her producer, Thomas McKay — who she describes as “frigging awesome” — have focused in on the roots genre.
“It's not as eclectic as my first album,” she said. “Every song has that ingredient of roots music.”
If you're interested in attending the album release party, it takes place at Collège Boréal starting at 7:30 p.m. this Friday night. Admission is $30 per person, which includes a copy of the album.
