Montrealer of the Week - Miguel Graca

I have to admit I've been very fortunate with the amazing people I have met in the past little while i.e. couple of years of my life. So many uber-talented, yet lovely people who inspire me daily and make me feel like a worthwhile person.

So this is the continuation of my series of talented Montrealers.
Today's installation - MIGUEL GRACA.



I had the fortune to meet Miguel through Patrick Dream (who I blogged about earlier) and since then run into him occasionally at various events. We always have a great time just hanging out and being silly. I was invited to go see him earlier this week and decided to Google him and read up on him. To my surprise, he has won a Juno! Wow! I truly am in the presence of greatness.

But to me, what makes Miguel so great is that he is what I believe a true artist should be - he unapologetically makes music that he feels, not music for the masses. He lets whatever he is feeling come through on the music he writes and doesn't let current "trends" influence him. I truly respect that and it's highly inspiring to say the least.

I was fortunate enough to hear his new work this week and it was really unique and I honestly have not stopped thinking about it. Although I venture to guess that the fact he gave me a little insight into why he wrote certain songs and other details might also influence me to continue thinking about it.

I was reading several articles on him and this one quote just struck a chord with me:

"You're driving down a straight, long road that seems to have no end and the sun is coming up on your left and to the right of you, there are stars, and there's water in the distance that's glowing silver--that's the kind of dawn I'm talking about."

Miguel Graça is leaning back in his chair in his east-end studio, looking every bit the tropical garage/house DJ. Wearing a palm-tree-covered Hawaiian shirt and flip-flops, he's expounding on his favourite time of day and major musical inspiration: the dawning of a new day.



So all this to say that I am honored to consider someone so talented yet so very real and kind and who loves the music as much as I do as a friend.



(Having heard the story about how a lot of these tracks were named - I have to laugh, but I also have to think is that the dawn of a new day that inspired such beautiful music?!)