We’ve been covering the Boots and Hearts Emerging Artist Showcase pretty much since it first started. It’s been an annual tradition to interview and feature each of the finalists, so you get a chance to know them before they become household names like previous finalists Tebey, Tim Hicks, The Reklaws and The James Barker Band to name just a few of those who once fought for the prestigious annual title.
Tonight 3 finalists vye for your votes to fill the 8th and final spot in this year’s showcase. We reached out to each of them and offered them the same 10 questions to help you make your final decision before wildcard voting closes at midnight tonight!
Rebecca Rain
First up Rebecca Rain.
#1: Hundreds, if not thousands, of musicians submit for their chance to make the top 8 in this annual showcase. You’ve made it to the top 10 out of that initial group. You are facing off against 3 of your peers for to qualify for the final spot in the Boots and Hearts Emerging Artist competition. What made you apply for this opportunity and why should people vote for you over the next few days?
Rebecca – It’s a pretty surreal experience so far and I’m feeling really grateful to be on this journey! I love country music and have been writing and performing for 18 years now. A career in country music is something that I’ve always truly wanted. The Chevy Music emerging artist showcase at Boots and Hearts has helped launch the careers of so many great Canadian country artists like Tim Hicks, James Barker Band and The Reklaws. This is my fourth year applying to the showcase. It’s a great opportunity and performing at Boots and Hearts would be an absolute dream come true.
#2: Every artist I’ve spoken to has a story about how / when they decided to pursue music as a career. Describe the moment that you knew that music was the path for you.
Rebecca – I knew music was my path when my mom and dad bought an old piano for my three brothers to use when I was 12. I started playing around with melodies and writing lyrics and from there I was hooked. I eventually started learning guitar playing shows at any small town fair or festival I could get my hands on and saving up for recordings.
#3: What’s your all-time favourite movie?
Rebecca – My all time favourite movie is “Walk the Line”- the story of Johnny Cash and June Carter. Cliche? Maybe, but true? Yes 😉
#4: Your ideal brain food?
Rebecca – I love walnuts, especially on a salad! And I also equally love chocolate. Chocolate’s brain food right? 😀
#5: If you could see any artist in concert, who would you see (living or dead)?
Rebecca – Janis Joplin, hands down
#6: Name a fictional character most like you?
Rebecca – Elaine from Seinfeld
#7: If you were a superhero what would be your superhero name?
Rebecca – Rain guns 💪
#8: Who are your musical influences that inspired you to follow in their path? What artists today, if any, inspire you to continue down that path?
Rebecca – I grew up listening to classic country artists like Patsy Cline, Dolly Parton and Martina Mcbride. Since then I’ve grown a real appreciation for southern rock country like Blue Rodeo, Neil Young and Chris Stapleton.
#9: You’re going on a world tour as a headliner, who would you pick to open your tour for you each night?
Rebecca – Dolly Parton- Couldn’t imagine asking her to open for me though 😂 I’d really love to open for her one day! She’s amazing .
#10: Forget about the wildcard spot for a minute, tell us why you should be crowned the 2019 Boots and Hearts Emerging Artist Showcase winner?
Rebecca – I think all of the finalists are deserving of this great opportunity! They’re all amazing. All I can say is music has always been a huge part of my life. Like I’ve said, I’ve put in 18 years of developing and investing in my craft so far. Singing, playing and writing is truly my passion and it’s what I want to keep working really hard at and do for the rest of my life- after fighting through various obstacles for so many years to get to where I am now I know that without a doubt . Every artist has a story and I think it’s up to the people listening to decide who they connect with on a level they think is deserving of winning the entire showcase.
Vote for Rebecca here: https://bootsandhearts.com/showcase/
Dave Sampson Press Photo
Next up Dave Sampson
#1: Hundreds, if not thousands, of musicians submit for their chance to make the top 8 in this annual showcase. You’ve made it to the top 10 out of that initial group. You are facing off against 3 of your peers for to qualify for the final spot in the Boots and Hearts Emerging Artist competition. What made you apply for this opportunity and why should people vote for you over the next few days?
Dave – I have been following this festival and the Chevy Music Emerging Artist showcase for the past few years, I figured with a new record coming out in the fall that this was a great opportunity for me. I think people should vote for me because I’m ready to take the next step in my career and I need all the help I can get.
#2: Every artist I’ve spoken to has a story about how / when they decided to pursue music as a career. Describe the moment that you knew that music was the path for you.
Dave – I started to play music in my early teens, but it was in university when I really started to dig in and write my own songs and I started to see more and more people come out to shows and support me. Once I noticed people singing along to my own lyrics and buying tickets to see me I knew this was something I wanted to do.
#3: What’s your all-time favourite movie?
Dave – Goodfellas
#4: Your ideal brain food?
Dave – I really love any type of curry, not sure if that’s brain food .. but I like it.
#5: If you could see any artist in concert, who would you see (living or dead)?
Dave – Tom Petty
#6: Name a fictional character most like you?
Dave – Definitely Alf editors note: because you like to eat cats, or because you’re an alien life form? 😉
#7: If you were a superhero what would be your superhero name?
Dave – I would have to go with “Denim Dave” because I have a major problem with denim everything.
#8: Who are your musical influences that inspired you to follow in their path? What artists today, if any, inspire you to continue down that path?
Dave – I’m influenced by all of the artists I grew up listening to from my home on Cape Breton Island. Gordie Sampson, Ashley MacIsaac, The Rankin’s. They showed me that it’s possible to make a good living playing music and writing songs growing up in a small rural part of Nova Scotia.
#9: You’re going on a world tour as a headliner, who would you pick to open your tour for you each night?
Dave – Chris Stapleton for sure.. or Kacey Musgraves. They are both major influences in how I write.
#10: Forget about the wildcard spot for a minute, tell us why you should be crowned the 2019 Boots and Hearts Emerging Artist Showcase winner?
Dave – I’ve been building audiences all across the Atlantic provinces and beyond over the past ten years and I think I would be a perfect fit for this festival and opportunity. I recently recorded an album in Nashville with Gordie Sampson and I believe this album and showcase will help me take my career to the next level.. I’m definitely ready for it.
Vote for Dave here: https://bootsandhearts.com/showcase/
Warren Hargraves
Last but certainly not least Warren Hargraves
#1: Hundreds, if not thousands, of musicians submit for their chance to make the top 8 in this annual showcase. You’ve made it to the top 10 out of that initial group. You are facing off against 3 of your peers for to qualify for the final spot in the Boots and Hearts Emerging Artist competition. What made you apply for this opportunity and why should people vote for you over the next few days?
Warren – Applying to Boots was kind of a last second thing. I knew about the emerging artist contest but never went into it before. I decided to randomly go on my back patio, record my new song ‘Entwined’ and sing my way in. I love live country music, so naturally this contest fits my eye.
#2: Every artist I’ve spoken to has a story about how / when they decided to pursue music as a career. Describe the moment that you knew that music was the path for you.
Warren – The moment I felt like music was a career I’d want to pursue was when I’d stay in my room for hours and hours on end trying to learn one chord. And over and over again I’d screw up and it would sound flat out terrible. Hard work and stubbornness got me to where I am today, trying to play music as much as I can.
#3: What’s your all-time favourite movie?
Warren – Pulp Fiction because of how backwards but put together the movie is.
#4: Your ideal brain food?
Warren – I don’t know what brain food is but pizza is good, real good.
#5: If you could see any artist in concert, who would you see (living or dead)?
Warren – I’d want to see The Band all back together. That’s the type of show I’m inspired by.
#6: Name a fictional character most like you?
Warren – Napoleon Dynamite because of his goofiness yet weirdly poetic.
#7: If you were a superhero what would be your superhero name?
Warren – WarHarvin’ (I don’t know haha) First name War with my nickname Harv.
#8: Who are your musical influences that inspired you to follow in their path? What artists today, if any, inspire you to continue down that path?
Warren – The Band, The Allman Brothers, The Eagles as bands from the past I love. Current bands; Andersen East, Brothers Osborne, Chris Stapleton, Zac Brown Band, and Eric Church. They all inspire me in different ways. Mostly because they’re all unique and have their own path. They have that live show aspect to them and something I strive to have.
#9: You’re going on a world tour as a headliner, who would you pick to open your tour for you each night?
Warren – my hometown people: Melissa Megan, Basic White, Patrick James Clark.
#10: Forget about the wildcard spot for a minute, tell us why you should be crowned the 2019 Boots and Hearts Emerging Artist Showcase winner?
Warren – I believe my live show will propel me into the top 2 and into opening for Kane Brown. There is something about playing in front of an audience that brings up my performances. I love standing on that stage and I believe in my ability to play my heart out out there.
Vote for Warren here: https://bootsandhearts.com/showcase/
You can vote for your favourite, or all 3 if you can’t decide, until 11:59pm EST TONIGHT!!
The winner will join the Top 7: Amber-Jo Bowman, Dylan Burk, David Boyd Janes, Brady Kenneth, Mackenzie Leigh Meyer, Brad Saunders and Justin Tyler.
One of the Top 8 will be chosen as the 2019 Boots and Hearts Emerging Artist and will open for Kane Brown at Boots and Hearts 2019 on Sunday August 11. They will also win a single release through our friends at Warner Music Canada a Trip to Nashville which includes: Flight and hotel expenses, $500 spending cash, Professional songwriting session and a Professional photoshoot and to top it all off the winner will get the chance to perform at Boots and Hearts events throughout the year!
You can see the entire top 10 here: https://bootsandhearts.com/showcase/
Stay tuned for more features and previews over the coming two weeks as we countdown to Boots and Hearts 2019!
