Basia Bulat: Not Just Beginner's Luck

Smoky-voiced indie-folk songstress Basia Bulat uses the word "luck" often when she speaks of the chain of events that led to the buzz surrounding her debut album, Oh, My Darling. There's also some soft giggling in embarrassment when complimented on her music.

The album was initially recorded as what Bulat, who hails from London, Ontario, describes as an "audible memory" to share with her musician friends and has now been picked up and released through Rough Trade (U.K.) and Hardwood (Canada). She's toured through Europe and is on the verge of her first Canadian tour.

"It's certainly a bit surreal because it wasn't something I was aiming for," she says. "It's really fun. I feel really lucky and, at the same time, it kind of encourages me to keep going."

Considering the quality of the songs, the delicate orchestral arrangements and the sweet soulfulness of her voice, the more appropriate word would be kismet. Like many other musicians in the Canadian indie scene, Bulat has a community-based collective mentality about her music, crediting her musical friends from London with inspiring her work and collaborating with her on the album.

"I kind of knew I had to make this record," she says. "I certainly hope it's not the best record I'll ever make. And I know that, like anything, it takes practice and there's room to grow. That's what I hope to keep doing."

This Listen Up article is from the October 2007 issue of Chart Magazine. You can purchase the issue in the Chart Shop.