You know that feeling when you are standing in front of your open closet, looking for just the right sweater, and your eye catches one that you’ve not worn in a while, but you know it’s going to be just what you need? That’s exactly what experiencing Celeigh Cardinal’s new album, “Boundless Possibilities,” was like for me. While I had not listened to Celeigh’s music in a while, I knew this album was going to be great before I even hit [play]. Her voice enveloped my ears, mind, and soul like that soft soothing sweater would have comforted my body.
Released independently just a week ago, and co-produced with James Bunton (Donovan Woods), Celeigh’s dynamic music has already been gracing the airwaves and gaining popularity on SiriusXM’s “The Indigiverse,”, CBC Music Top 20, and Billboard Canada, just to name a few.
Celeigh digs deep into her own life experiences for “Boundless Possibilities,” her third studio album, and shares with her listeners a vast range of emotions covering heartache, growth, tragedy, faith, and settling into her own independent being. “Growing up in northern Alberta, I was one of two native families in the church and the school that I went to. My father’s family was part of the ‘Sixties Scoop,’ so we didn’t grow up connected to our Indigenous culture at all,” she reveals. “My whole life I felt like I was struggling with my identity and the many expectations that were put on me, so it took a long time for me to feel like I had a voice.”
Delivering a beautifully diverse range of rhythms with her lyrical journey across this album, Celeigh seamlessly transitions from 70s-inspired rock-to-ballad like it’s second nature. I especially enjoyed “I Want to Mean It, Pt 1 & 2.” Her take on looking for the L-word in unspoken ways looks at all angles in that it can reside or cease to reside. Hold on through the bridge as Celeigh guides us to an emotional swell supported by beautiful strings and simply states lines to remind us… Sometimes love lives in the things you don’t say. How true this is; and how often do we forget to look at the little things where love shows itself even more loudly when not actually spoken?
Skipping back a few tracks to “Wandering River” (co-written with David Francey), we find Celeigh’s effortless vocals supported by a gentle piano. “I’ll go down to the water / Let it take me where it goes / Tired of fighting the current / I will surrender to the flow.” Surrendering to the healing powers of water – this track presents a heartfelt letting go, accepting change, and moving forward in strength.
There a something for everyone in “Boundless Possibilities,” and Celeigh shows us there are no boundaries when it comes to the talent she offers. If, like me, you’ve not caught up with Celeigh Cardinal in a while, I highly recommend you give this latest album a listen and rekindle yourself with her velvet vocals and diverse beats.
Photo Credit: Brayden Treble
Jess has always enjoyed a wide range of music genres and eras. Connecting deeply with classical music, she played cello from grade school through high school, and although no longer actively playing, her affinity for finding an emotional connection to music is still strong. Residing in central PA, she is new to the Canadian music scene and enjoys listening to new artists as a way to break away from “the usual.” Jess is an avid yogi who often finds a sliver of peace while on the yoga mat with good music playing in the background.
