Lalonde Tracy

Article by Adam Brazeau
Seaway News
April3, 2014

Lancaster - As her debut EP, Little Letters, continues to turn heads, Tracy Lalonde is vying for the top spot in CBC's Searchlight competition for emerging Canadian artists. The Lancaster singer-songwriter-guitarist is fresh off her first CBC Radio performance and invading the airwaves is only the start for Lalonde. Her name has become synonymous with the local music scene. But now she's looking to share her delicate yet eager folk-pop sounds across Canada in the annual Searchlight contest, which connects artists and fans across the country .

"It exposes the music to a wider audience whom I may not have been able to reach otherwise," said Lalonde. "It's also cool to see what other artists are up to, both regionally and nationally."

Besides coast-to-coast exposure, Searchlight competitors have the chance to win $20,000 towards Yamaha musical equipment, a recording session at CBC in Toronto, national airplay, and a spot at a high-profile summer music festival. "These sorts of things can really help out!" said Lalonde.

The 25-year old artist is instantly recognizable by her trademark smile. Lalonde is well-known in the coffee shops and alternative venues in Cornwall and the United Counties of SD&G for performing on stage with only a guitar. Her EP, produced and engineered by Graham Greer (of Barstool Prophets), nestled its way into local eardrums instantly after its release on March 4.

"I've been getting a lot of nice emails and messages from people I don't know, too, telling me that they like it and that they've told their friends to go have a listen," said Lalonde. Having Little Letters get to #33 on the Alternative Album charts for iTunes Canada was a recent triumph for her. But the defining moment of her blossoming music career was when CBC Radio One first played the EP's title track as part of an Ontario showcase for the Searchlight competition.

"Hearing my voice and music on the radio the first time was probably one of the greatest most surreal things I've ever experienced my life," said Lalonde. "Getting onto CBC one of my goals with releasing the EP, and only after I achieved that that this whole experience of making and releasing an album in." Since Little Letters surfaced she's had a interesting opportunities pop up (still in works), but Lalonde thinks the summer prove to be a busy and exciting one for her.

''There's still a lot of work to do and I have to keep going, but I 'n very proud of accomplishments so far, and grateful even more so for the people who've been involved and have been supporting me along the way'', she said. To learn more about Tracy Lalonde's music visit tracylalonde.com