With songs like “Homecoming” Bruce De La Cruz, aka smallTALK, is heating up the Northern music scene with big heart and big energy to light up the FOTR stage this weekend. The Northern artist says his journey to date has focused on the creation process and live performance of music.
“I can’t describe how good of a feeling it is when people connect on a personal level to something that you created, especially music. So, just seeing that just really gives me the fire, the motivation to keep going.”
The artist moved to Yellowknife last winter from Cambridge, Ontario, to work and just one year and a half later is playing at Yellowknife’s biggest music festival, Folk On The Rocks.
The musician and journalist says it all still feels “surreal.”
Recently moving to the Yukon, the artist explained he is excited to be reunited with friends in Yellowknife who have become like family to him. Performing his music for them and then broader audiences just came naturally to the artist. The raw energy and emotion of smallTALK’s music have become a known staple of his work.
“In my songwriting in my professional life I’m actually a journalist, and so I’m just so used to helping other people tell their own stories, but when it comes to my music, I find that as a way to tell my own story, I get to be a part of myself that doesn’t make it on TV as a journalist writing down on my own feelings, how I feel about things in the world in my own life.”
11 years of songwriting
Last year, smallTALK was selected as the artist in residence at FOTR and has continued working on his music and fine-tuning his set for the festival performance this year.
“Just really trying to refine it, decide which parts of myself through my songs I want to reveal to the crowds. It’s a whole process.”
The songs the artist will be performing bring together 11 years of songwriting.
“All these songs were [written[ at different points of my life. In the last decade, I’ve been polishing them, I’ve been rearranging them and the reception here in Yellowknife for them has been really good.”
Among this body of work are songs about past relationships that tackle experiences of heartbreak and loss, including a song called “Homecoming.”
“Homecoming”
“Last fall, I went to the Philippines to visit my family for the first time in a decade. It was a good trip, but it was also the first time that I went home since after my grandparents passed away, and so it was just a very solemn time for me. Very different vibe from the other times I visited, and so I actually wrote a song dedicated to my grandparents. I wrote it within 24 hours of landing back into Yellowknife.”
The artist became visibly emotional when reflecting on his grandparents, who he still dearly misses.
In one of the song’s lyrics, the artist asks his grandparents what they would say if they could see him.
And it’s a question smallTALK still wonders about after becoming an accomplished journalist and with his music career taking off.
“I do wonder if they’re proud of me from where they are now.”
The song has personal resonance and carries a message audiences connect with that over time has also taken on new meanings.
After landing back in Yellowknife this weekend, smallTALK played shows at the Sundog and an open mic at Madeline Lake, he revisited the song.
“When I was performing that song about my grandparents, especially the line, “Are you proud of me now after everything I’ve been through?” I miss Yellowknife, and I’m wondering if everyone I know here misses me. I just hope that they’re proud of me, and the things I’ve been able to do in the Yukon, where I moved to for work and so [the song] definitely takes on different meanings.”
At one of those pop-up performances, a woman approached smallTALK after being really moved by the song. She was crying because she could relate to that experience of being separated from loved ones.
“She hadn’t seen her own grandparents in China in a very long time,” explained smallTALK.
“I can’t describe [that feeling] when people connect on a personal level to something that you created, especially music.”
Making a space for music “to live”
smallTAlK said he is looking forward to recording and finding platforms where his music can live outside live performances.
When it comes to recording music, smallTAlk, who has a background in media production, said he sees it as a process that takes time.
“It’s a process, so I’m just trying to be patient. It’ll happen when it’s supposed to happen.”
The artist explained that means finding the right producer and musicians to record with.
Beginnings
De La Cruz began songwriting as a teenager and it was in places like church choirs and small coffee houses he first got his start.
“Songwriting back then in my youth was definitely just a hobby.” Then, about three years ago, the artist began taking his work into more serious directions.
While living in his hometown of Cambridge, Ontario, the artist started performing at open mics at local bars. De La Cruz felt encouraged when he saw audiences connected with his music.
In Yellowknife, smallTALK found many opportunities to pursue music, but still gives credit to those first audiences because they gave him confidence to try in the first place and to keep going.
“I just want to meet as many other artists that I can, build that community network and just learn from so many talented individuals.”
smallTALK captured many moments of FOTR on camera as a volunteer photographer while working on site as the musician in residence last year. This year will mark his debut as a featured performer and bring smallTALK to the other side of the camera.
“Now, as an artist I get to help create some of those moments on stage. It’’ll be really fun being on the other side of that and just running around and seeing all my friends in the audience, seeing all my friends who are performing this year.”
Underground
“I usually just play live music. I haven’t had time to sit down and record an album, an EP, or even demos yet. And so, I think that would be good just to build that fan base. I love playing live. That’s probably my favourite aspect as of right now.”
When he first got into TV and film production in college, his original goal was to learn how to produce and direct his own music videos.
While studying media production, the artist found he had a knack for news and then fell into journalism.
“I’m just coming to a point in my life where I’d like to try to accomplish that original goal now.”
Working on music and working as a journalist, can be challenging to find a balance, explained the artist.
“There’s so many stories to tell that I want to tell for people.”
Things like writer’s block can create hurdles, but meeting the challenge and connecting with audiences helps drive that creation process.
“When you see the audience react to what you might consider a perfect song, that makes all that time and effort worth it.”
smallTALK is scheduled to perform Sunday at Folk On The Rocks at the Aurora FM stage at 6:45 p.m.
