SUMMERSIDE – The news was music to Trinity Bradshaw’s ears.
The Summerside born singer/songwriter is returning to her home province to open for country music sensation Shania Twain’s 2014 Founders Week concert set for the Charlottetown Events Grounds on Aug. 30.
It was in the works for some time, all very hush, hush.
“There were a couple of weeks there I could not tell anybody. It was killing me,” said Bradshaw in a telephone interview from Edmonton, Alta., where she was performing Wednesday. “So today is awesome. I can actually be excited about it.”
As a youngster performing at the annual Lobster Carnival sidewalk sale, Bradshaw would belt out Twain’s songs, all of which she knew by heart.
Today, she has incorporated some of the icon’s songs into her own set, including favourites “Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under” and “Any Man of Mine.”
So opening for the Canadian award-winning songstress, who is a long-time idol of hers, is a dream come true for the 24-year-old.
“I grew up listening to all the older country, but as soon as Shania came out I knew every one of her lyrics, every one of her albums by heart,” added Bradshaw. “She was a huge life-changing factor for me, especially in country music.”
A promoter, who heard about Bradshaw, a young rising star on the Canadian country music scene, got the ball rolling on getting her the gig of a lifetime.
“When I first found out about it, I was ecstatic. My heart fell into my stomach,” she recalled. “I actually cried. I called my mom and she said ‘Why are you crying?’ My Mom is over it. She is like, ‘Yeah, big things are going to happen, we’re just waiting’.”
Well, mom has to wait no more, as this is her daughter’s biggest gig to date.
“You think things are going to happen but you are never really sure,” added Bradshaw. “This is probably the biggest thing to ever happen to me, just because Shania is close to my heart, musically, and she is my inspiration. That makes it even more of a big deal.”
With only a 30-minute set, she plans to perform material from her sophomore EP, “Open Skies,” which has received glowing reviews, with her single “Never Drinkin’ Again” in rotation at various country radio stations nationwide.
“I don’t think I will do any Shania covers,” she joked. “I’m going to let Shania do her thing and I’m going to do my thing.”
Bradshaw has been getting her own taste of success in recent years, nominated earlier this year for Female Artist of the Year and Song of the Year at the Alberta Country Music Awards, the province she now calls home.
Bradshaw hopes to get the chance to meet and chat with Twain.
“I just read her book. There is so much I want to ask her. I feel like we have so much in common,” she said. “I just want to ask her some pointers. She definitely knows what kind of mindset you need to make it to her kind of position in music.
“My goals are extremely high and just to have her give me some advice on getting there would be amazing.”
SUMMERSIDE – The news was music to Trinity Bradshaw’s ears.
The Summerside born singer/songwriter is returning to her home province to open for country music sensation Shania Twain’s 2014 Founders Week concert set for the Charlottetown Events Grounds on Aug. 30.
It was in the works for some time, all very hush, hush.
“There were a couple of weeks there I could not tell anybody. It was killing me,” said Bradshaw in a telephone interview from Edmonton, Alta., where she was performing Wednesday. “So today is awesome. I can actually be excited about it.”
As a youngster performing at the annual Lobster Carnival sidewalk sale, Bradshaw would belt out Twain’s songs, all of which she knew by heart.
Today, she has incorporated some of the icon’s songs into her own set, including favourites “Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under” and “Any Man of Mine.”
So opening for the Canadian award-winning songstress, who is a long-time idol of hers, is a dream come true for the 24-year-old.
“I grew up listening to all the older country, but as soon as Shania came out I knew every one of her lyrics, every one of her albums by heart,” added Bradshaw. “She was a huge life-changing factor for me, especially in country music.”
A promoter, who heard about Bradshaw, a young rising star on the Canadian country music scene, got the ball rolling on getting her the gig of a lifetime.
“When I first found out about it, I was ecstatic. My heart fell into my stomach,” she recalled. “I actually cried. I called my mom and she said ‘Why are you crying?’ My Mom is over it. She is like, ‘Yeah, big things are going to happen, we’re just waiting’.”
Well, mom has to wait no more, as this is her daughter’s biggest gig to date.
“You think things are going to happen but you are never really sure,” added Bradshaw. “This is probably the biggest thing to ever happen to me, just because Shania is close to my heart, musically, and she is my inspiration. That makes it even more of a big deal.”
With only a 30-minute set, she plans to perform material from her sophomore EP, “Open Skies,” which has received glowing reviews, with her single “Never Drinkin’ Again” in rotation at various country radio stations nationwide.
“I don’t think I will do any Shania covers,” she joked. “I’m going to let Shania do her thing and I’m going to do my thing.”
Bradshaw has been getting her own taste of success in recent years, nominated earlier this year for Female Artist of the Year and Song of the Year at the Alberta Country Music Awards, the province she now calls home.
Bradshaw hopes to get the chance to meet and chat with Twain.
“I just read her book. There is so much I want to ask her. I feel like we have so much in common,” she said. “I just want to ask her some pointers. She definitely knows what kind of mindset you need to make it to her kind of position in music.
“My goals are extremely high and just to have her give me some advice on getting there would be amazing.”
