This is a HUGE weekend for me. In the midst of running around making last minute preparations, I’m overwhelmed thinking about the fact that my BOSTON FAMILY will MEET my HALIFAX FAMILY. Oh, and it’s also my BIRTHDAY.  I can’t imagine a better place or way to spend it than surrounded by love and music. Pretty sure my head is going to explode.

I am so incredibly lucky to make music for a living and so lucky to have found homes in more than one place. My friends in Boston helped me make WE HAVE MADE A SPARK. My friends in Halifax give me the roots enough to spread my wings. To have everyone in the same place will be EPIC. I can’t wait to show my US pals just how amazing it is here. We live in a truly incredible community.

As an “opening act” in Halifax I’m going to show the film we made IF I SHOULD FALL BEHIND which completes the exchange in making a small window into the community in Boston.

Here’s who is coming from Boston:

ZACHARIAH HICKMAN – producer, bassist, chef, snappy dresser and member of Josh Ritter’s Royal City Band

AUSTIN NEVINS – guitarist, photographer, juggler, lover of desserts and member of Josh Ritter’s Royal City band

(Here’s a video of Austin and Zack on Jools Holland with Josh Ritter)

LAURA CORTESE - fiddler, singer, motivator, vintage fashionista, most positive person I know – a video of her song Perfect Tuesdays

DINTY CHILD - multi-instrumentalist, singer, instigator, builder, driver and member of Session Americana

BILLY BEARD - Drummer, trouble maker, magic maker, charmer and member of Session Americana – here’s a video of Session in ACTION with Peter Wolf at Lizard Lounge our haunt in Cambridge!

From Halifax the cast of characters is large and close to my heart and will include: DON BROWNRIGG, TANYA DAVIS, JENN GRANT, DAN LEDWELL, STEWART LEGERE, RIA MAE, MIKE O’NEILL, ZAC CROUSE, STEVE GATES,  HEATHER GREEN, KEV CORBETT, CARMEN TOWNSEND, CYNDI CAIN, MARGOT DURLING +…….I mean, AMAZING!!!

If you’re in Halifax please come to this show – it will be my best yet.

If you’re in LUNENBURG April 20th, WOLFVILLE April 21st, CHARLOTTETOWN April 25th, MONCTON April 26, SAINT JOHN April 27th or FREDERICTON April 28th – please check the shows page and come to my show there. Boston peeps will be there along with local celebs in each spot!

I can’t wait to play for you. Seriously.

xo

r

Mr. Southern Souls met me at a church in Toronto to capture “This Light” on a grand piano. Thank you Mitch!

APR 12 Chromewaves “something ineffably special about this record”

APR 11 WFUV New York City Performance & Interview

MAR 28 CMT’s Craig Shelburne “favorite tracks released over the winter”

MAR 28 Vue Weekly Edmonton “…fruits of collaboration…”

MAR 28 Edmonton Journal “a strong branch of close relatives”

MAR 24 Portland Examiner OR “…heart is infected..”

MAR 24 Winnipeg Free Press “…they’ve built a roaring fire”

MAR 22 Uptown Mag MB “…deeply personal listen…”

MAR 21 Uniter Winnipeg

MAR 20 No Depression Interview “…Cousins has a gift…”

MAR 14 Buzzabout.com ” …reminder about what music does…”

MAR 12 WFUV New Music Monday “more than just sparks on this new record…”

MAR 12 REVIEW McGill Tribune “soul-bearing songs”

MAR 6 REVIEW – FolkAlley.com “this record is not simplicity – it’s gathering”

MAR 2 MY MORNING DOWNLOAD WXPN “…haunting and beautiful…”

MAR 1 REVIEW East Coast’s Bob Mersereau “..Cousins has hit a nerve…”

MAR 1 REVIEW Grayowl Point Canadian Indie “…a moving, pristine package..”

FEB 29 REVIEW Prairie Dog Regina, Sask “…some real beauty here…”

FEB 28 USA TODAY Pick of the Week “..an achingly candid way with a lyric…”

FEB 26 Fervor Coulee album review “A brilliant album that gently unfolds …”

FEB 23 5 Stars NOW Toronto “…not a lyric, note or instrument out of place…”

FEB 21 CBC Music debuts Rose’s film “If I Should Fall Behind”

FEB 24 FEATURE BOSTON GLOBE – “musical family in Boston”

FEB 22 4 Stars Uptown Winnipeg “dark and sweet and totally powerful…”

Feb 21 The Globe & Mail Essential Track “A dreamy and downbeat shuffle…”

FEB 14 Hear it first!  Exclaim streams new album in advance of release

FEB 10 No Depression album review ” one of the strongest and most emotive new voices ….”

FEB 9 The Record album review “It’s stunning from start to finish…”

Today everyone who gave to the Kickstarter Campaign receives their advance digital copy! WOOOOOOOO!

I can’t believe the record will be out in TWO WEEKS!
It’s getting some great reviews and today it also streams on EXCLAIM! online

TOUR- Mark your calendars!! Ticket info and details will be appearing this week.

WE HAVE MADE A SPARK RELEASE TOUR

3/2 Cambridge, MA – Club Passim
3/3 New York, NY – Living Room
3/10 Chicago, IL – Evanston SPACE
3/16 Victoria, BC – Solstice Cafe
3/17 Bowen Island, BC – The Gallery in Artisan Square
3/18 Gibsons, BC – St Bart’s Hall
3/20 Vancouver, BC – Venue TBC
3/22 Berkeley, CA – Freight & Salvage
3/23 Chico, CA – Chico Women’s Club
3/24 Sacramento, CA – Sutter Creek Theatre
3/25 Los Angeles, CA – McCabes Guitar Shop
3/28 Winnipeg, MB – West End Cultural Centre
3/29 Saskatoon, SK – Lydia’s
3/30 Edmonton, AB – Haven Social Club
3/31 Canmore, AB – Communitea
4/2 Calgary AB – Ironwood Stage & Grill
4/14-15 Moncton, NB – East Coast Music Awards
4/20 Lunenburg, NS – Zion Lutheran Church
4/21 Wolfville, NS – Al Whittle Theatre
4/22 Halifax, NS – Spatz Theatre
4/25 Charlottetown, PEI – St Paul’s Anglican Church
4/26 Moncton, NB – Capitol Theatre
4/27 Saint John, NB – Sanctuary Theatre
4/28 Fredericton, NB – Charlotte Street Arts Centre
5/3 Toronto, ON – Rivoli
5/5 Wakefield, QC – Black Sheep Inn

Lots more to come
Hearts to you,
rose

I am honoured to have won an Iguana Music Fund grant from Club Passim in Boston! This money has helped to fund the film that I made which highlights the amazing community that lives and grows in and around this great venue.

More on Club Passim CLICK

(My record release will be at Club Passim March 2, 2012 – see shows page for deets)

THANK YOU IGUANA FUND!!

Check out this sweet lil video made by Mitch Fillion of southernsouls.ca and featuring the sweetest dog named Nigel:

www.southernsouls.ca/rosecousins

I walked all around Halifax today in the rain to just reflect and take advantage of being in one place for a few days. It’s been a big year all the way through. I’m getting a helmet for next year!

Thank you for your incredible support always and extra thanks to those who joined TEAM ROSE in the Kickstarter campaign! We made a whopping $25,130!

For kicks, here are 20 songs I listened to on repeat in 2011. Hope you see someone you don’t know here and check them out:

Hole in Your Halo – Ana Egge (Bad Blood)
Poison & Wine  – The Civil Wars (Barton Hollow)
Perth – Bon Iver (Bon Iver)
Unravel Unwind  – The Spring Standards (Would Things Be Different)
Baby’s Been Away – Jenn Grant (Honeymoon Punch)
Nothing Lasts Forever – Carmen Townsend (Waitin’ & Seein’)
Gate – Craig Cardiff (Floods and Fires)
Stealin – Catherine MacLellan (Silhouette)
The Bad in Each other – Feist – (Metals)
Blue Spotted Tail – Fleet Foxes (Helplessness Blues)
The Way it Goes – Gillian Welch (The Harrow and the Harvest)
Pumped Up Kicks – Foster the People (Torches)
Bandages – Hey Rosetta (Seeds)
Tenderness – Jill Barber (Mischievous Moon)
Rumour Has It – Adele (21)
Behave – Robyn Dell’unto (I’m Here Every Night)
Under Your Skin – Ria Mae (Under Your Skin)
Still Right Here – Melissa Ferrick (Still Right Here)
Living in a Country – Rose Polenzani (The Rabbit)
Do You Remember – Ane Brun (It All Starts with One)

Happy New Year Everyone!

rose – high five

DECEMBER 15, 2011 – 3am

It has been an incredible 44 days my friends. In fact the whole year has been SO incredible. I don’t think I’ve ever reached higher and had this many people pushing and boosting me up. With 17 days left in this year I’m sure I’ll end it winded but totally fueled.

I’m so honoured and amazed at the support I’ve received on my KICKSTARTER campaign. We surpassed the goal 4 days early and the support is still rolling in. All of the posting and re-posting and tweeting and sharing and forwarding has helped to spread the word not only of my new record but of my music in general to lots of new people. I feel so lucky to have such incredible supporters. THANK YOU!

Things are starting to roll out today as you can see!! The first track on the record is available for download! I hope you like it. The actual record will be in stores FEBRUARY 28, 2012 but those of you who Kickstart me will get it in January. Tour plans are underway and 2012 is looking like it will be busy! More on that soon.

Just wanted to say thanks to everyone. If you didn’t get in on Kickstarter you have til 5PM FRIDAY DECEMBER 16th to PRE-ORDER your copy of WE HAVE MADE A SPARK! I’d certainly love to have you on the team.

I’m not prepared for Christmas but sure am for a holiday!
My very best to you with grattitide!
rose