SWEET LOW DOWN BY CARLY PETERS
PHOTOGRAPHY: JENNIFER SQUIRES
Jess Rae Ayre, Amber Rose, and Michelle Anderson, collectively known as Winnipegbased folk/pop group Sweet Alibi, squish together on a backstage couch, trying to fit everyone in the frame of our FaceTime call. Soon the three ladies will be playing to a Saskatoon crowd as part of their cross-Canada tour with Jadea Kelly. But for now, we’re just trying to get the audio to work. Even when you can’t hear what’s being said, the chemistry of the trio is visually apparent comfortable conversation and smiles being had. Ayre and Anderson have been friends since high school, and met up with Rose while jamming over eight years ago. Loving each other’s sound, the ladies began singing together, and at the behest of their listeners, decided to form an official group. “We were going to go play an open mic show and thought we should probably make up a poster, but we didn’t have a name,” explains Rose, adding they asked for suggestions from friends. “Everyone just kept coming back with the word ‘sweet.’ But we felt like we needed something to balance that out, and came up with ’alibi.’ We felt it was the masculine to the sweet.” The group’s first album, a self-titled debut in 2011, was produced by Mitch Dorge, formerly
of the Crash Test Dummies, and sent them touring Canada, tightening up their writing skills, and perfecting their stage performance. As they gathered fans across the country and garnered more radio play, they embarked on a second album, We’ve Got To, in 2013. The record wasn’t defined by a genre, pulling elements of country, folk, pop, and even Motown into their textured harmonies. Perhaps what resonated with listeners the most were the group’s raw lyrics that pulled from themes such as addiction, cancer, and battling death. “We like to take struggles and turn them into songs,” explains Ayre, adding that the name of their third album, Walking in the Dark, comes from a song Rose wrote for her mother who had passed. But what might be one person’s darkness may be another’s light. Fans have told the trio that many of their songs have helped them through tumultuous times, and that it’s meant a lot to know they’re not alone. “That’s why we do it,” confides Anderson. Sweet Alibi has seen a lot of faces, spending more time on the road over the past five years than being home in Winnipeg. And, while sometimes tour life can be a little confining, they’ve learned a few skills along the way to help them cope.
“When we roll into a city we find the nearest thrift store,” says Rose, adding they actually do like to find off-stage experiences to do together to ensure it’s not all business all the time. “We’re a team of girls, it can be hard not to step on each other’s toes, but we’ve learned to realize when everyone needs their quiet time or space.” Back on stage, Sweet Alibi has built a reputation for both their stripped-down three-part harmony sets, as well as their toe-tapping musical performances that include some of Manitoba’s best backup musicians. All of these elements have culminated in several award nominations and wins, including a Canadian Folk Music award and Western Canadian Music awards. “Growing up I never won awards,” laughs Rose, admitting she didn’t even go to the first ceremony when they were nominated because she didn’t think they’d nab the honour. “Being appreciated feels good. Of course, it’s not why we do what we do; it’s just the cherry on top.” The call’s audio drops again, leaving just an image of all three ladies grinning at one another. That’s okay; the stage is calling.
WINTER 2016 | STYLE MANITOBA | 13