NLFB Artist Profile: Donnell Leahy and Natalie MacMaster
What did it mean to you to return to the Northern Lights Festival Boreal?
Donnell: I love the north, I remember my father loving the north and it’s always a pleasure to visit Sudbury. I have played here with my family previously and it’s a beautiful festival. I was very excited to bring my new family to the fest.
Natalie: It was a beautiful day and it was a great festival, the production and stage were fantastic. Everybody seemed so excited and happy to be there!
Tell us about your musical influences? Where did it all start for you?
Donnell: For me it’s my mom and dad and specifically because my mother is from Cape Breton. They had a band and played locally, at dances and I started when I was three in contests, and concerts. I learned every note of my first four records I had ever owned. I grew up without a fiddle culture in my hometown and had to develop my own style. I was influenced greatly by Jerry Holland from Cape Breton, Sean McGuire from Ireland, Graham Townsend from Ontario.
Natalie: I grew up in Cape Breton in a musical family, who not just embraced but ate,slept and breathed music. Mom used to play traditional fiddle music all the time and so I started singing and dancing to Gallic songs when I was five and playing piano. But when I was nine I started with the violin which was a gift from my uncle. My other uncle Buddy MacMaster was a huge influence on me, and my style.
Tell us about your new album and what can we expect?
Donnell: Natalie and I played together before we were married and it makes more sense to travel together and play with our family on the road. It actually took us twelve years to record together. Speaking of, we just finished a Christmas record for our next tour. We come from two different musical backgrounds and styles and it’s wonderful to create with Natalie, we both inspire each other musically and feed off each other it’s a wonderful musical marriage.
Natalie: I love that record! I think it’s incredibly unique, incredibly Canadian, very cultural but modern. I’m so glad we got to work with the team we did, because they produced an amazing sound! I am excited to finish our current project as well on what will be our first Christmas record.
What is it like to collaborate together and perform together?
Donnell: It’s great, we both were fans of each other before we met and married. It’s very special, I have the best seat in the house when she plays. It’s invigorating to play together. We have six kids and it’s very busy, being onstage is like a day at the spa haha.
Natalie: It’s beyond a dream! I had never even hoped for something so cool. To share the same passions and energies and hopes and dreams is incredible and our path is unknown to us, even though we know where we’ve been and where we are going. We live a very diverse life, we are spread out over so many wonderful things and it’s an amazing life.
Anthony Crozzoli
Anthony is a Laurentian and Cambrian Alumni who is a lifelong fan of athletics, spicy foods, and romcoms. Loves his 2 for 1 wings at the Doghouse. He’s here to keep you in the know about our local varsity sports scene!
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