When organizers at the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame asked k.d. lang if she would induct Jane Siberry in recognition of her career penning lyrical gems, her response was a quick yes.
“There was no question, because Jane’s songwriting has meant so much to me,” lang explained in a recent interview.
“She’s 100 per cent an artist. She’s an intellect, a free spirit, unique and fearless. She falls into the grand lineage of Canadian songwriters quite easily,” she said.
“I’m not quite sure she’s of this planet, respectfully,” she added.
Explaining precisely what makes Siberry’s songs resonate is difficult.
Many of her best-known works, which include Mimi on the Beach and It Can’t Rain All the Time, thrive on their lyrical mystery, at once specific and intentionally imprecise.
Siberry tells stories that weave the individual, the collective and the spiritual together. They’re rich in complex themes and deep introspection of the intangible human experience.
“It’s similar to Leonard Cohen — her lyrics always provide some parallel to your own life,” lang said. “It doesn’t give you solutions, but it gives you a path to provoke your own compassion.”
The Grammy-winning performer intends to express those sentiments to Siberry during a Hall of Fame gala at Toronto’s Meridian Arts Centre on Friday.
Siberry is part of this year’s cohort in the Legends Induction Series, a spinoff of the main Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame event.
The night will honour Canadian songwriters who helped define Canadian culture and shaped the global soundscape, with Siberry joined by fellow inductees Andy Kim, Gino Vannelli, Ian Thomas and rock trio Triumph.
Siberry admits that learning about her honour led to some mixed emotions at first, as she was deep into the production of a three-part studio album project, her first release in a decade.
“It was uncomfortable at first, now I’m really into it,” she said of the induction. “I think I was just so focused on the new recording. I just didn’t want to tear myself away, and it seemed like a distraction.”
After some further consideration, Siberry said her ego might’ve gotten in the way for a brief period.
“I cleared that up in myself and realized this is an opportunity for lots of happiness,” Siberry added.
In a news release, the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame’s executive director Nick Fedor said this year’s honourees “embody the values that define Canadian songwriting: artistic courage, cultural contribution and storytelling that transcends genre and language.”
“The Legends Series is more than an awards show,” he said. “It’s a national stage for celebrating legacy, inspiring the next generation and elevating the role of the songwriter in our cultural identity.”
Next month, songwriting legends François Cousineau, Kate & Anna McGarrigle, Michel Pagliaro and Florent Vollant will be honoured in Montreal.
Following the ceremonies in Toronto and Montreal, this year’s inductees will be added to the CSHF’s permanent location at Studio Bell, home of the National Music Centre, in Calgary.
