Celebrating Women in Music to Support Women in Need
Women in Music Montreal’s Fall Showcase Donates Profits to Herstreet Foundation
In celebration of local female musicians, and in an effort to support struggling women, Women in Music Montreal (WIMM) present their second showcase this Sunday at Les 3 Minots.
Singer-songwriters Mona Lisa Chanda, of Mona Lissa and the Brink, and Dalia Marom, of Von Dalia, worked together to produce the fall show after their first showcase packed La Sala Rossa last spring.
They will donate the proceeds of the event to the Herstreet Foundation, which helps struggling women who are victims of violence and homelessness re-establish themselves in society.
Marom explained that as an artist her mission is to promote peace and happiness through her music—that is why the Herstreet Foundation is important to her.
“There are a lot of women who aren’t as fortunate as we are,” she said. “A lot of the time you’re kind of a victim of your circumstances, and there is only so much that you can do with what you have. Creating opportunity and bringing hope and support to women who might not necessarily have that around them, is definitely something that I am a strong believer of.”
Léonie Couture, founder and director of the Herstreet Foundation, believes it is important not only to denounce violence, but, above all, to help women recover from the violence they’ve experienced. The foundation offers art therapy and art activities to women,as a way of encouraging productivity in a non-stressful environment.
“Drawing, music, whatever activity allows women to share an experience together, in a group,” Couture said.
Chanda, who has studied the effects of music on human brain chemistry with New York Times best-selling author Daniel Levitin, also believes art brings people together.
“I think [music] serves a social purpose and that it really helps us bond and connect with each other,” she said. “Working through these activities, slowly a person can heal her wounds, rediscover her self-esteem and rediscover her capacity to have functional and harmonious relationships,” Couture said. “Slowly [a woman] can rebuild her life and because of this she can reintegrate into society.”
Chanda, a post-doctorate neuroscience researcher, and Marom, an actress, are both Concordia graduates who decided to pursue their passion for music.
A few years ago, Chanda and Marom shared a desire to make music a priority in their lives and reached out to support each other in their endeavours.
“We realized how important that was to have that support, especially as two women artists,” Chanda said of founding Women In Music Montreal. “We wanted to expand that and reach out to other women artists.”
Mona Lissa and the Brink have since released a live album, Live at the Piranha Bar, and hope to record a studio album in the near future.
Von Dalia released her first EP, Gypsy Soul, produced by Juno-winning musicians Gary McKenzie and Nick Hynes, formerly of Bran Van 3000.
The fall showcase features Montreal natives Bliss, made up of Abigail de Burgh Galwey and former members of Bran Van 3000, Rudolph Chevalcha and Nick Hynes. Laurent Saint-Pierre and Pierre-Luc Cérat join the band for its live performance.
Chanda and Marom will continue to focus on their music careers, all the while encouraging fellow female artists. In the future, WIMM hopes to continue producing two showcases a year. Some Montreal-based artists that may appear in future showcases include Jenn Mierau, Brie Neilson and Motel Raphaël.
Women in Music Montreal (WIMM) presents: BLISS, VON DALIA, MONA LISSA & THE BRINK / Nov. 11 / Les Trois Minots (3812 St-Laurent Blvd.) / 7 p.m. / $8 advance, $10 door
