MONICA SCHROEDER at Barcode (549 College), Saturday (March 31), 10 pm. $35/wristband or $6/door. 416-928-5012.
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monica schroeder has a beauti-
ful voice — emotive, fluid and clear. The Winkler, Manitoba-based pop musician could make the white pages sound like Yeats.
She’s been attracting modest but meaningful attention, including a lengthy piece in Billboard, three Prairie Music Award nominations for her lovely The Expectation Of Home indie disc and, crucially, a spot on the radar of at least one Toronto major-label A&R rep.
While her Barcode gig with her band won’t change the world, Schroeder wants to send the message that she’s open for business. With plans to move to Winnipeg now that she’s given up her day job as a mental health care worker, she has the focus she needs.
“Music is absolutely what I want to do,” Schroeder says. “So when I move to Winnipeg, I’ll be looking more for a day job to tide me over than for a career.
“People do seem to respond to my voice, I must admit it. Strange, since I don’t think it’s that remarkable and it’s not something I have control over. But I’ve always been singing. I do remember singing into my hairbrush,” she laughs, “and not that long ago, either.”
