Okotoks singer/songwriter Maddison Krebs' new single delves into her experiences of the last two years and hopes for the future.
Dreamer Kid, her newest single released on Sept. 3, draws on experiences old and new.
“The song just came from my reflection time during the past two years, and looking back on my childhood and how grateful I am for that,” Krebs said. “Also knowing that sometimes along the way the world can get in front of our dreams and we can sometimes doubt ourselves.
“The song’s just all about revealing that six-year-old kid I think back to that was just so confident and sure of her dreams, and I wanted to bring that forward in the messaging of the song.
“That’s what Dreamer Kid is all about.”
Creating the song during the pandemic, Krebs was facing the existential crisis of many performing artists.
“To be honest it was really hard,” she said. “A lot of my livelihood is in a way based on performing live and being with people, performing shows.
“So when that’s stripped away, it’s very difficult.”
Like many artists, the songwriter was given the time, for better or worse, to evaluate what truly mattered to her as an artist and a person.
“The one silver lining out of it is that it forced me to in a way adapt and reflect and write music, and that means a lot to me,” she said.
Written with friends Elise Hayes and Andrew Petroff, the trio had to collaborate over Zoom due to travel restrictions.
“I got to connect with my writer peers in Nashville virtually and wrote some music I’m super proud of, and now I have the opportunity to share it,” Krebs said.
Krebs recorded the vocals from Calgary while the song was produced in Nashville.
“Even though I would love to be in person in Nashville and record with everybody and create it in person,” Krebs said. “It was really cool to see how you could create music wherever you are in the world.”
While necessity was the mother of invention for many mediums, it also made Krebs take stock of her blessings.
“I think for me personally, what I felt the entire two years is just how grateful I am for my family and that reflection process just narrowed down what matters to me,” she said.
“That’s where I found all this inspiration truly was—the things that matter are quite simple.
“I grew up in a really great home, and just thinking back on all the things and how it helped me become the human I am today, and knowing I can keep pursuing my dreams, and even though there are glitches along the way, knowing I can still adapt in different ways.”
As the pandemic has kept people apart, Krebs has sought ways to unify them, such as an initiative she called Bread Maker, aimed at showcasing and elevating local artists.
“Throughout the past couple years I realized how much I value creators in Alberta, and I want to lift their voices up,” Krebs said.
These efforts involve collaborating with businesses to create intimate shows.
“Something I would love to see more of in Alberta, in Calgary, and in Okotoks is just seeing people come together and celebrate the creators that are there,” she continued.
“We’ve been missing that for a while, and I would love to see that again.”
Krebs has also been named one of 12 finalists for Project WILD, an artist development program funded by the WILD 95.3 radio station and administered by Alberta Music Industry Association designed to kick-start the careers of three emerging Alberta artists annually.
For more information about her Project WILD efforts, visit projectwildcountry.com/mk-21, and for Bread Maker visit instagram.com/breadmkr
For other future updates visit Maddison Krebs on streaming platforms and social media or visit themaddisonkrebs.com
