Vincent Jones Interviews Ali Milner

Hi music fans,

Over two sunny Okanagan weekends this August, Vancouver’s gifted Ali Milner has performed in Kelowna three times. Originally from Whistler, B.C., Ali now lives in Kitsilano, Vancouver. A jazzy songstress with strong vocals and a burgeoning reputation, Ali has a voice that harkens back to a bygone era. She has already achieved a number of notable accomplishments, including performances in the US, UK and Asia. She has shared the bill with the likes of Michael Buble and the Bare Naked Ladies. Ali also had the honour of singing the national anthem at the closing ceremony of 2010 Paralympic Games in Vancouver. She is through to this year’s Peak Performance Project Top 20 and she has appeared on the CBC’s Cover Me Canada. Not only that, Ali has two studio albums to her name, 2005’s, Ali Milner, and 2009’s, I Dare You. Ali is definitely one to watch. Or listen to, as it were.

During one of her recent trips to Kelowna, Ali and I sat down for a chat. Valaura Vedan of WelcometoKelowna.com was on hand to take photographs.

Here are the best bits from our discussion:

Vincent Jones: Have you been to Kelowna before?

Ali Milner: I’ve been to Kelowna but, I feel as though I’ve never experienced Kelowna. This time I brought a friend with me [to Kelowna] who is actually from Kelowna. I’m seeing the sights and it has been wonderful. I was in Winfield and I was in the lake and it was like being in a bathtub, it was so warm!

VJ: You’ve already got two albums to your name. You’ve received some fantastic praise, some great airplay and things like that. That’s without even mentioning Cover Me Canada… What I’m wondering is what achievement are you most proud of so far?

AM: I’m a person that looks forward. There’s so much more to accomplish! When people say you’ve accomplished so much, I’m like “Have I?” It’s difficult to stop and look at what I’ve done…

I’m most proud of [something from] a couple of weeks ago. I finished a song; it’s called Fly. I usually co-write. I wrote it [Fly] pretty much entirely by myself. I feel like I’ve never written a song that’s so me. That’s the proudest feeling right now thinking about music. It’s a big moment in my life.

VJ: What was your musical inspiration? How did you get started?

AM: I saw a poster in my school for the choir where they sing Disney songs and have sparkly vests! All my friends were auditioning and I was like, “Audition? Wow!” So I auditioned and that’s what [got me] started [with] singing. I didn’t know I could sing. They were like, “Whoa, girl!” [They] gave me a bunch of solos and the rest is history.

VJ: How old were you at that time?

AM: I was nine years old. I didn’t walk out of the womb singing by any means. I’m not one of those. It quickly became everything.

VJ: Out of all of your songs, and it may be Fly, which is your favourite?

AM: Definitely Fly, yeah.

VJ: When will we hear Fly?

AM: There are all sorts of videos [of live performances] of it already [on YouTube.] I am hoping to record it this fall.

VJ: Which of your songs is your favourite to perform?

AM: I’ve really enjoyed playing “Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under”? recently. It’s a song that they gave me on Cover Me Canada. I was going through something that week and the way I interpreted the song really helped me with it. Playing that, I am always transported back to the original feeling I had when we reworked the tune. Where the notes are [in that song] it just feels great. It almost feels like it’s mine.

VJ: What’s your creative process? What comes first for you?

AM: Usually the melody or the chords. I sit down at the piano and kind of putter away. Often chords first and then melody on top of that, lyrics are last. This sounds like such hippy shit, but I hear music in colours. It’s actually a named scientific condition [Editor's note: It's called Synesthesia]. It’s like a cross-sensory thing, so songs and playing music all have colours to me. So once I’m playing this and singing it, I’m discovering the colours and feelings then something to write about presents itself.

VJ: So when you see a colour from hearing a song, is it the individual notes that are colours, or is it the whole song that is a colour?

AM: It’s different levels. When I’m playing a song, C is orange and D is green and that sort of stuff… but when I’m hearing a song colours are created through the lyrics, the feel… I haven’t really explored it. I always just accepted it. I thought it was normal, then my Mom told me it’s not normal!

VJ: Have you ever told someone to play an orange when you meant a C or something?

AM: I can’t hear music and play it. I’m so jealous of musicians that can do that. My brain just doesn’t work that way.

VJ: Do you have any tips for aspiring singers?

AM: Don’t force yourself to sing things you don’t like. It’s like when parents force their children to learn the piano and then you start resenting the piano. Always do it because you love it. Do it from that place.

VJ: Who do you listen to? When you were driving from Winfield who were you listening to?

AM: I love top 40 pop music so much. I love Drake and Nicki Minaj, it’s so good. When I’m in my room [at home], I have a record player, so I always have like three records on rotation. Right now, because it’s summer, I’ve got the Beach Boys, The Critters and The Ventures - this really surfy, beachy, awesome music. My forever album is Blue by Joni Mitchell. That’s like the ultimate.

VJ: Good choice…

AM: She’s such a strong female. I really respect her. [She’s] an incredible female songwriter. There’s nothing about her that’s trying to be like the boys. She totally embraces her femininity.

VJ: She has inspired so many other artists as well… it’s a long list.

AM: It’s incredible.

VJ: Is there anybody in the industry that you really want to work with?

AM: Yes, probably. I love Canadian artists like Dan Mangan, Aidan Knight or We are the City; all these people that I know and have met. It would be really interesting to sit in a room and explore the musical side of them.

VJ: Develop your musical relationship with them?

AM: Yeah, being in the Vancouver music scene, everyone is so close and supportive. I’m neighbours with Zach from The Zolas and Dave Vertesi from Hey Ocean! is one of my good friends and we co-write a lot, so I know his musical thing. But Zach and I are always like “Let’s write, let’s write.” It has been two years and we haven’t gotten together.

I just love the Vancouver, British Columbian, Canadian music scene…

VJ: What is your favourite thing about being a professional musician?

AM: I don’t know! I just love singing! I really love singing so much.

VJ: Being on the stage performing?

AM: Even just singing itself, not even performing, I love that, but even when I’m around the house… I’m just so grateful that I can do it.

I like making my own schedule. I don’t have to work long hours! I like pretty much everything about it.

VJ: What has been your best experience in music?

AM: I did a ten day tour of England from Bath to Lancaster. We stopped in small towns, villages [really] and I loved that. I love England so much anyway, and to be able to explore the tiny little places that I never ever would have gone to that was one of my favourite experiences, and the fact that I could play music was pretty rad!

VJ: Did they give you a good reception?

AM: Great reception! They were so open to hearing new music.

VJ: With that in mind, is there any festival or venue you’d really like to play?

AM: I think it’d be cool to play Sasquatch. It’d be neat to play Glastonbury. [Also] the one where the white cliffs are?

VJ: In Dover?

AM: In Dover. I think there’s a festival there…

VJ: I’m not sure which one is down there. I know Leeds, Reading and Glastonbury are the three big ones.

AM: I remember hearing about that [Dover.] Something like that would be cool.

VJ: I’ll have to go home and Google it.

AM: Me too. I probably just made it up!

[Laughter]

VJ: What’s next for you? What are you hoping to achieve in the next 18 months?

AM: In the next 18 months, I want to get an EP or an album finished. I want to write more songs like “Fly”, that I feel are so me. I’m excited to try and accomplish that. I want to get on tour with a bigger name. It’d be cool to open on a pretty major tour. So I think more toward the end of those 18 months that’ll be possible.

VJ: As someone directly involved with the Canadian music scene are there any up and coming artists, similar to yourself, that you feel deserve some recognition that you’d like to mention?

AM: So many! I feel really involved with my heart in all of these bands that I just think are so terrific. I like the band Zeus. They’re awesome! We are the City – awesome guys. They’re so musical and their live show is so captivating. I want Hey Ocean! to do well, I know they already are though…

VJ: They were in Kelowna recently for Keloha and it was a good show.

AM: Oh yeah! They’re really good friends of mine and I know how talented each one of those individuals are. It just blows my mind. I want them to get everything that they deserve.

VJ: If you weren’t musical and had to pick another career, what would you choose?

AM: I was lying in the lake today and my friend and I were talking and she was like, “Not a lot of people get to do their favourite thing.” [So], I was asking myself that today. There really is no other option for me. This is going to happen. This is it. Maybe… I’m trying to think of things I love. I love running, I love dogs…

VJ: You could go running with dogs?

[Laughter]

AM: Maybe something in fashion, or in a magazine. I really like writing and I think I’m good at it, [so], maybe something along those lines.

VJ: Do you ever see yourself being in a band?

AM: I’ve wondered that myself. I don’t know… I think it’s cool to be able to only rely on myself. If I want to make things happen, I have to do it. Being in a band… I think it’d be really cool, I think it’d be really fun, but I don’t think my heart would be fully in it.

VJ: You’re set to be a solo artist?

AM: Yeah, I think I’m on the right track.

VJ: I think so…

[Laughter]

AM: Thanks.

VJ: I’ve reached the end of my questions, is there anything else you’d like to say?

AM: [To the fans:] Thanks for listening. There’s new music in the fall. Keep in touch, tweet at me, I’m around…

You can find Ali’s official website HERE. Ali is also active on Twitter and Facebook. If you’d like to vote in the Peak Performance Top 20 for Ali, I’m sure she’d appreciate the support. The public can vote from October 19^th 2012 to October 26^th 2012 and voting takes place at: www.peakperformanceproject.com

Thanks for reading another edition of my Hear in Kelowna music column. I’ll be back soon with another update from the Kelowna music scene.

Want to talk to Vince? E-mail him at: vince@welcometokelowna.com