It is hard to believe that almost two years have passed since we featured new music from Ottawa, ON-based Roxanne Potvin, who was promoting her highly-acclaimed “All It Was” EP at the time. Having stayed below the radar for a while (and touring with Colin James), this versatile JUNO-nominated singer-songwriter returns to the spotlight today with the release of her brand new single, “Jump In.”
Like many of her contemporaries within the artistic community, Roxanne has embraced the negativity surrounding this global pandemic to delve deeper into her creative processes, and with the timing of “Jump In,” demonstrates that all it takes is an amazingly upbeat new tune to help remove the bitter taste of self-isolation and social distancing during these summer months. “I wrote ‘Jump In’ originally thinking about the uncertainty at the start of some romantic relationships,” Roxanne shares. “When both people are just getting to know each other and getting close; sometimes one person is moving a little slower than the other.”
It was during our feature on her 2018 “All It Was” EP that we discovered Potvin’s uncanny ability to comfortably blend various musical styles into her repertoire, progressing beyond her early blues roots towards pop and folk inspired sounds. With “Jump In,” pop influences are joined quickly by a little calypso and hints of light yacht rock, demonstrating again how she can fuse genres with ease. This is not the first time we’ve heard this sound, recalling “Lonely Island” from the previous EP, where we learned that Potvin is a devotee of those classic Harry Belafonte records. Indeed, for those of you who insist on slapping a one-size-fits-all specific genre tag onto an artist, Roxanne Potvin shall surely take delight in keeping you up way past your bedtime trying to formulate your answer.
Accompanying the single release is an equally positive and ‘summer themed’ music video, which sees Roxanne enjoying the great outdoors. Walking trails and finding the serene, calming clear lake waters, her bright red footwear (no Dorothy, this ain’t Kansas) contrasts beautifully against the lush greens and browns offered up by Mother Nature. “For the video, I kept going back to the water metaphor and I imagined someone standing on the edge of a lake, hesitant to go in,” she shares. “The concept was really simple; just a walk through nature up to a dock, ending with the question of whether I’ll jump or not.”
“Jump In” has all of the ingredients to create a popular summer ‘jam’ for many years to come, as well as an anthem for anybody looking to make a fresh start. As we continue to navigate unchartered waters during these tumultuous times, we may just need some of Roxanne’s positive energy to help steer us through.
The British guy that crossed the ocean and crash landed in central Pennsylvania (to quote Greg Keelor, “And I wonder what am I doing here?”). As the youngest of four siblings, exposure to music from a very early age nurtured my passion and appreciation for many musical genres. Continuing to discover some amazingly diverse and talented musicians based in Canada, I gravitate to live music experiences and remain devoted to spreading the word about such a vibrant music scene.
