Featured Artist - What We Embrace

Duo Lindalouise and Dougie met in a dimly lit bar where Dougie was singing in a tiny Scottish town many years ago. They fell in love, married and moved halfway across the world. One day with shaky hands, Lindalouise took a journal of songs that she’d been secretly writing to Dougie, a writer she deeply admired. It was just over three years ago they decided to embrace a new journey. What We Embrace tell stories, some triumphant, some less so. Follow What We Embrace on instagram.

Their sound is teetering between Indie Folk, Alt Country and New Americana, their voices blending, lifting and weaving to unexpected places. Each song is a journey through heartbreak, love, uncertainty and redemption. They make music for the dreamers, the broken and the yet-to-be -found. “We often find ourselves in moments, quite unexpected, and we find then, we are all what we embrace”

1. What is the coolest show you have ever played? 

We played a songwriters round with BC Country called “Nashville Nights”. We love being able to tell the stories of the songs, sit in the moment with the audience and the other writers that performed and just be present in those moments. Listening rooms are our favourite type of show to play, you really get to feel like your’e bringing the audience along on the journey with you.

2. How do you keep yourself healthy and happy working in music?

Dougie- It can sometimes feel like a struggle to be healthy and happy, but for me I think hobbies are really important for your mental health. I’m a big nerd so I love things like Dungeons and Dragons and playing video games, it’s a way for me to escape the “work” of music, and it means coming back to music feels fresh and exciting. Lindalouise - I think independence, because we’re married its important for me to go on little solo adventures, whether its just finding a new coffee shop, listening to peoples stories, or walking around the Seawall on a rainy day. Finding that time for yourself is really essential.

3. What is the biggest challenge you've experienced in getting to where you are?

Touring right now is really difficult for artists like us, so building that authentic live audience is our big challenge.

4. What is the best part of your life that isn't music-related?

We have two ginger cats Milo and Angus, that we have affectionately dubbed “The Peach Boys” (we delighted in this pun). They are terrors but they bring us a lot of joy, looking after two weird little ginger aliens that live with us rent-free gives us a purpose outside of our creative outputs.

5. What is the best advice you have been given in the music business?

Follow your own authentic path, whatever that looks like to you. Building your career in a way that’s true to you will attract the right people whether that’s audience, your team or anything else. Don’t focus on the “other”, whatever that looks like. Focussing on delivering the best art you can in your current circumstances is what will bring you to the next level.