National Music Centre (NMC) is pleased to present Shaela Miller's After the Masquerade album release tour live at Studio Bell.
Shaela's forthcoming album After the Masquerade is a self-indulgent trip back to a world of music she’s been patiently waiting to explore. Recorded in National Music Centre’s studios, the record was produced by NMC's Graham Lessard (Stars, Timber Timbre) and released on Canadian upstart Neon Moon Records. It’s a binary of “country and new wave that sees the two contrasting styles collide in dazzling fashion” (Plastic Mag) — a collision of genres that helped rear a young songwriter years ago.
Lethbridge's supernatural songwriter Bailey Kate and folk-rock sonic explorers Starpainter will open the show.
About Shaela Miller:
Shaela Miller’s years spent doing good country music work are safely etched into public consciousness. A turn at this point is by no means an undoing, but a welcome lead into new territory. Miller’s fast-rising path is set to be amplified by a sonic reintroduction to one of Alberta’s best voices and most sincere stage personalities. On the heels of a 1st Place Project WILD finish, years of top-tier folk festival circuiting, TV placements like HBO’s True Blood, and many other accomplishments.
Early dreams stay in the blood. Pulsating drum beats meet ring-spun synthesizers balanced by steel guitar professions as the listener is introduced to a captivating story. The listener should take comfort in feeling a little tense, but this is no sleight of hand. It’s all from the deep well of emotion where Shaela lives as a songwriter. Where dreams go unspent, the host can be left to wither. Take a small comfort knowing that Shaela is guiding her own career path as every artist should – with no fear of expectations.
In this new venture, Shaela Miller explores uncharted territory, experimenting with a sonic palette that diverges from her country and roots origins. After the Masquerade promises to be a musical journey that transcends traditional genre boundaries, taking listeners on an exciting ride through a world of dreamy synthscapes and the evocative resonance of pedal steel.
About Bailey Kate:
There is something weightless about Bailey Kate's songs, they pass by with a kind of supernatural ease. Timeless songwriting and dextrous arrangements are the cornerstones of her debut record Within / Without. The songs give a first impression of simplicity, but layers of harmonic and lyrical complexity reward the attentive listener. Lead lines interweave with her vocals to form a sturdy thread of melody and countermelody. On this debut record, Bailey explores themes of relationships, community, and existential dread with clear-eyed sincerity. When Bailey Kate performs, people lower their voices and turn their heads as if by instinct — there is something immediately inviting about her voice and her melodies. One of Alberta's most promising young artists, she's been performing for just a few years but gives the impression of a seasoned vet on stage.
About Starpainter:
Starpainter is a folk rock band from Lethbridge, Alberta. They wear their influences on their sleeves, showcasing old-school songwriting craftsmanship and an affinity for gently psychedelic alt-twang tones. The band’s second full-length, titled Rattlesnake Dream, was released in June 2023 on Neon Moon Records. Rattlesnake Dream exists in a small-town universe that has become a defining feature of Starpainter’s body of work. Themes of family, aging, and personal loss are explored across the album’s 10 tracks. The record explores new sonic territory, further developing a signature sound built on memorable melodies and imaginative, guitar-heavy arrangements. Starpainter is Joel Stretch, Mickey Hayward, Joel Gray, Dylan Wagner, Bailey Kate, and Tyler Stewart.