Date: Sep 1, 2023
Alberta's former Artist in Residence & Arts Ambassador (2020-2021) Joal Kamps and wife Lauren aka 'Flint & Feather' release their debut single this coming Friday!
Albertan folk/roots duo Flint & Feather are ready to celebrate harvest with the highly anticipated release of their AFA-funded debut single The Very Thing I Fear – a Rocky Mountain Folk-Pop song that documents the introspective journey of a travelling troubadour who has lost themselves amidst an ever-changing world.
The song will be available on streaming platforms worldwide on Friday, September 1, 2023 at 12 (MST).
Press & radio stream/downloads
MP3: flintandfeather.com/new-single-MP3
WAV: flintandfeather.com/new-single-WAV
Earshot Distro: https://secure.earshot-distro.ca/song/40941
About the song
I had been backpacking in Europe for several months when I caught my reflection in an old mirror in Amsterdam. At first, I didn’t recognize myself. It was this stranger looking back who sent me down a path of introspection and soul-searching. In the midst of my journeys my identity had become blurred between experiences and I didn’t really know who I was anymore.
‘The Very Thing I Fear’ documents the restlessness and recklessness one might experience while feeling a lack of clear direction in life. It marks the passage of time moving on from youthful passions and longing for a renewed sense of purpose. It’s our hope that the song resonates with others in similar scenarios, even if they remain unresolved… for now.
As is often our process, Lauren helped refine the song into a much more cohesive piece. We took part in a ‘Musicians in Residence’ program at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity and developed our sound through exploring and fusing our folk/roots style with other genres. Nothing worthwhile comes easy but after much effort ‘They Very Thing I Fear’ was reborn.
AFA funding
The AFA is pleased to note that Joal Kamps received a Music Individual Project Funding grant to support the recording of Flint & Feather. Learn more about this grant opportunity.
Alberta Artist in Residence/Art Ambassador
Award-winning singer and songwriter, Joal Kamps was selected for a one-year term as Alberta's Artist in residence on September 30, 2020. Kamps is a Calgary-based career musician, songwriter and performing artist, a solo instrumentalist (guitar) and co-member of folk/roots duo Flint & Feather. Throughout 2020, he took on the role of arts ambassador and promoted the value of arts and artists in the province.
The Artist in Residence program seeks to inspire innovation in the arts and to promote a wider understanding and appreciation of the arts and artists in Alberta.
Through this program, an Albertan artist receives a grant to serve a one-year term as Alberta’s Artist in Residence and Arts Ambassador, and they will create an art project that promotes the value of the arts in Alberta. During the term, the artist will engage with different communities, share their perspectives and an 'inside look' of their artistic process, and attend important cultural events as Alberta’s arts ambassador.
During their term as Alberta’s arts ambassador, the artist will:
- engage with different communities
- share their perspectives
- offer an ‘inside look’ at their artistic process
- attend important cultural events