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Makinna Givens is close to becoming Canada’s next country music star.
The talented singer-songwriter from Temiskaming Shores has country in her soul, and when she heard Cottage Springs was presenting the Country Rising competition, she decided to take part. But first, she had to convince herself to make the leap.
“I wasn’t sure I was going to apply, I thought, oh, they’re not going to pick me. I’ll get that artist self-doubt, so I went back and forth on it for a couple of days and decided to just go for it.”
She submitted some songs, and things moved quickly after that. Although doubtful at first, Givens soon found herself moving forward in the competition, and now, she’s one of four finalists nationwide, “And I’m loving every second of it.”
The final decision is up to the fans, and you can vote for Givens at the Cottage Springs Country Rising website. Also note, you can vote daily; you don’t just have one chance at it. The poll closes on May 26.
Starseed Entertainment is also involved with the contest and is giving a record deal to one talented winner. The winner will also receive $10,000 and get to open for The Reklaws at the KEE to Bala for their Aug. 1 and 2 shows.
Semi-finalists also play at various Hockeyfest events throughout Ontario. On May 24, Givens is taking the stage, opening for Nate Haller and Griffen Palmer in Sudbury.
When BayToday reached Givens by phone at her Haileybury home, she talked about her wide interest in music and mentioned a particular fondness for Dean Brody. Canadian artists earned top spots on Given’s track list – “I think they’re the best storytellers.”
“The lyrics are what make or break a song for me,” she admitted.
And she has lots of lyrics herself, with much of her phone’s memory filled with fragments of songs she’ll record for fear of forgetting them. She’s a prolific writer and is currently working on her first full-length album. Givens is a multi-instrumentalist, and records most of the parts herself. She mostly plays acoustic guitar but keeps a Telecaster near by to add some country twang when needed. She also attended Fanshawe College and earned a degree in audio engineering, so being behind the board is like home to her.
Givens also mentioned she’s been getting a lot of attention since she became a finalist. The media has been reaching out, and she’s been appearing in print, radio, television, and online. She admitted the attention is something to get used to.
“It’s been kind of crazy, but it's very exciting,” she said. “I don’t know if it’s the same for you, but being from Northern Ontario, you’re raised to be super helpful, and not gloat and talk about yourself, so it can be weird for me.”
Although talking more about herself and her music may take a slight adjustment, Givens expressed how grateful she was for the opportunity to share her songs with so many more people. Being a finalist in the contest has been a big boost for her musical career.
“I know it’s already boosted my career; it’s like night and day. I’m so honoured and grateful to be a part of this. And obviously, everybody wants to win, but even if I don’t, I’m just so glad to be a part of it, and the things that have come from this have already been amazing. So, no complaints from me.”
As mentioned, you can vote for Givens until May 26, and she has promised to give plenty of notice for her next North Bay gig. And if Dean Brody is reading, she mentioned she would be 100 per cent open to collaborating on a song.
After all, with your help, she just might be Canada’s next country star.
David Briggs is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of BayToday, a publication of Village Media. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.
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