Arctic Rose blossoming in southern climes

Page R9

Performing at Victoria's Inner Harbour during the XV Commonwealth Games last month was one more drop of sunshine on the growing popularity of Inuit singer Susan Aglukark. Her strong, sweet voice filled the harbour, washing over some 60,000 spectators gathered to enjoy a night of First Nations artists.

"She's so cute," exclaimed a happy Verna Charles of Victoria. "I've never heard her before, but she's great."

Aglukark has her own unique sound which combines rock, country and a slight gospel touch (the latter isn't unusual, seeing her father is a Pentecostal preacher.) Aglukark sings in English and Inuiktitut, her mother tongue, and in either language her songs are touching and beautiful.

The week of the Commonwealth Games marked the second time Aglukark has performed before the Queen of England. The first time was on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, in celebration of Canada's 125th birthday.

"The Queen was very easy going," said Aglukark of that 1992 event. "They were very real people. She really loved the song Amazing Grace, which I sang."

Aglukark considers the two performances for the Queen to be the highlights of her singing career to date.

Music has always been a part of the 27-year-old singer's life because of her church-based upbringing. As a born again Christian from Arviat, N.W.T., Aglukark places considerable emphasis on her spiritual foundation.

"I know for a fact that if it had not been for God in my life I would not have been able to take on the changes that have occurred in the last three years of my life," she said.

From her debut release Dreams For You, Aglukark has taken the Canadian music scene by storm. That disc resulted after Aglukark submitted eight songs for a CBC compilation of northern artists. Then in 1992 she recorded Arctic Rose, the full flowering of her talent. The album, recently re-released, was an intensely personal project in which Aglukark shared an intimate portrait of her life in summering, crystal-clear vocals.

Now as Aglukark is becoming more well known, her schedule has become increasingly tight. For the past three months she has been locked up in a studio working on a new album which should be released early next year. Following the release, Aglukark plans on touring Australia, the United States and Canada.

According to Aglukark, there have already been many requests for her music from the States. When asked if she prefers studio work or live performances, Aglukark responded.

"I like both. I know now what it actually feels like to do an album from scratch. I love the feeling of live audiences, of interacting the live audiences."

And interact she does, talking and joking with audiences across the country, while performing at events like the Commonwealth Games in Victoria.

Aglukark now lives in Toronto but hopes to eventually be able to maintain residences in the far north and southern Canada.

"Most of all I miss my family," confessed Aglukark. "The other day I was in Owen Sound, in Ontario. I sat down by some water and I realized that I miss just being able to smell the water. I missed the whole feel and smell of the water."

But for now advancing her career is more important and she continues living in the south.

Aglukark takes her career seriously. She is willing to work hard to make her dreams come true. Drawing on personal experiences and traditional stories, Aglukark writes her own material.

"I have to do lots of writing," she said. "I'm just getting used to the fact that you should always be writing, no matter where you are, no matter what time of the day it is."

In spite of her increasing success, Aglukark remains a down-to-earth, compassionate person.

I think the most important thing for us to realize in anything we set out to do, is commitment for the heart," she said. "Commitment involves almost always dealing with our inner self. Dealing from the inside out and having a humble attitude all the time. We're learning every day."