Catching up with Begonia at Montreal’s Jazz Festival
Interview by Sarah Evangelista
I had the absolute pleasure of catching up with Begonia ahead of her performance at Montreal’s Jazz Festival.
Photo by Karen Asher
Welcome back to Montreal. So excited to see you perform again for like the third time. What are your plans for today? Are you just performing and you're leaving, or are you going to see another set today?
Yeah, I hope to catch Robert Glasper later, but basically just getting ready all day and then going to the site and seeing what happens
Amazing. How do you feel about hotel breakfast?
You know I didn't wake up early enough to take advantage. This is how I feel; they don't go late enough for me. It's like 6 am to 9.30 am. What am I supposed to do within that time frame? I'm sleeping. I guess there's a lot of like travel times where we have to wake up earlier and that's cool, but hotel breakfast in Europe far superior. I'm not trying to sound like a snob, but hotel breakfast in like Middle America or whatever can be really strange. Just like a pastry in a bag, but the bag is like wet.
My opinion is that I feel like if, like, you get like a warm like egg, sausage, ham, all that fun stuff, like it's great, yeah, but usually it's just like yogurt cereal yeah, like a croissant like it's. Like it's not a full breakfast, I find that's just a little snack. Anyway, the stage you're playing today is huge. Have you seen it?
Oh my gosh, yeah. My band went last night to check it out while I was resting and they took a picture of it and I was like wow!
Do you still get stage fright at all?
Oh yeah, definitely.
I'm always a bit nervous… some shows more than others. I always have some healthy nerves for sure.
What do you do to like de-nerve yourself?
I have a warm-up routine. I have my little meditative moments, and then try to channel those nerves into actually just doing the show and making it as best as I can. I guess nerves means you care.
Do you ever have dissociative moments on stage?
Yeah, I feel like there are times where I definitely go up there and don't even really understand what I'm doing, but it's just happening. I try to be as present as possible, but performing and being on stage is one of the only times where I feel like all the noise is quiet in my mind.
Do you have spots that you always revisit in Montreal, whenever in the city?
I was in a band before starting the solo project and half the members lived in Montreal, so I would be here all the time checking out my favourite haunts but like also just spending a lot of time recording here. I haven't been back that consistently as much lately but whenever I’m back I'm kind of just like dipping in and out to my favourite places to go… like my friend's houses.
There's like something super nostalgic about just like areas that your friends live in.
Yeah, like Parc La Fontaine, I would love to go. My favourite bar was Snack and Blue. RIP.
I feel like that bar no longer exists but it was a bar where they would give you snacks - which I feel like in a post-pandemic lockdown world, open snacks is maybe not something that feels as cute as it used to
There's Rainbow Bistro in Ottawa that gives out free popcorn, I feel like more venues should do that.
Oh, I love a free snack, but that one Snack and Blues went to the point where you were basically sharing like a bowl of chips and salsa with like random people.
Especially double dipping with strangers.
You can't guarantee that the person to your right or left is not gonna lick their fingers.
Oh my gosh, so true. You are a super, super big fan of fashion. Have you visited any Montreal thrift stores or do you have favourites?
I definitely have, but I don't remember any of their names.
Do you remember any finds from Montreal?
So, I watched the real housewives. This is so niche, but there's the real housewives of New York and there was this big controversy for a while. One of the housewives, luann, wore a Giovanni dress and Dor thought Dorinda kind of hooked up the designer. His name was Giovanni. Giovanni! And it was this big thing where Luanne was doing a show and Dorinda was in the audience being like “Giovanni! Thank Giovanni!”. It was this huge controversy. And then I went to a thrift store in Montreal and I saw a Giovanni dress and I bought it just because it was Giovanni. I never wore it and then I ended up having a garage sale and putting it for sale
I was basically a reseller by accident.
Your new singles “Get To You” and “Stay Forever” were made in Montreal, right?
A producer that I collaborate with often and who lives here in Montreal (Marcus Paquet), and I wrote the last two singles that I put out. There's another single coming out, with kind of the EP package of those songs called “Open Swim”. That's coming out July 17th and that is all written with him and he produced it. He's a good friend of mine.
I am so excited. What 3 words would you describe this new project with?
It feels a bit like an extension of Powder Blue era, in a way. Some of those songs were written around the same time but just didn't necessarily feel like they fit on the album. I feel like the new era is still kind of being sculpted in the background
Chunky, funky and spunky. It just feels like it's my mantra
What was the first concert you've ever attended?
Oh my gosh, probably some concert in a church. Maybe Starfield, basically like a worship band that would tour churches. Kind of like the equivalent of like a boy band but for church people.
Have you mastered the art of packing for tour?
Oh, no, never, no, never. I've been doing it for like over 15 years.
My bag is overflowing with items at the moment. It is difficult for me. Driving is easy. When we're flying, I have to weigh my bag. I always have a list and I look to it and I'm like ‘why does it feel like I forget?’ I should know better by now.
Is there something like you always forget, no matter what?
No, it's different things every time.
I can’t tell if that’s better or worse.
I heard that rolling clothes fits better in your luggage, but you, especially with all the dresses that you wear… I don't feel like that's the best option.
I roll my everyday clothes, but I usually keep my dresses in a garment bag.
What are your tour must haves?
Definitely no complainers. You're allowed to be complaining sometimes, but you know, you just got to try to keep a positive attitude as much as you can, or at least least an attitude of humor as much as you can. Comfortable shoes are a definite yes, so if you're not bringing comfortable shoes, you are silly. Forgetting to bring comfortable clothes as well, because sometimes when I'm packing for tour, I'm like, “oh my gosh, I'm going to be cute every day. I'm gonna wear the cutest outfits every day”, and then all I want to do is wear the same overalls or the same sweats.
What keeps you grounded on tour?
My band. Having good people around me. Staying in touch with my mom. Trying to carve out some alone time. We also bring a nintendo switch, so we're always playing Mario Kart.
You gotta have comfort games. Mine personally is a parking mania game on my phone.
I have so many. I want to know all about this parking mania game. I have one where I'm just like cleaning things… I barely like make my own bed at home, but then I'm like on this game for like three hours cleaning stuff.
You know, I smoked cigarettes forever and I just quit recently. That was like a big comfort thing for me, like, especially on tour. So now I have toothpicks, and the games on my phone.
A hundred percent. Who are your favourite artists or bands right now?
I've been listening to a lot of Mk.gee, Kara Jackson, and Sabrina Carpenter, I consume a lot of music on a daily basis especially in the van, because we’re all sharing music. I'm listening to a lot of podcasts too, like audiobooks or whatever. I like having idle chatter just in the background.
Love it, it was so great talking to you again.
Thank you!