Canadian Music Week: Ali Milner: Can’t Change This Girl by OnTheGOinTO on Mar.13, 2010

Hailing from Whistler BC, Ali Milner started her musical life in the Vancouver Children’s Choir, then learned to play piano at age 13 and started writing songs a year later. At age 19, Ali has released 2 albums and is on the rise as one of Canada’s most promising singer/songwriters.

Your music is very much a modern twist on the jazz sound. What made you gravitate towards a jazz sound growing up?
I listened to absolutely anything and everything growing up! Although, one day I ended up buying this Great Ladies and Great Gents of Jazz compilation CD from Costco, of all places, and just fell in love with it. I ended up going through a pretty heavy jazz phase, listening to lots of Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Louis Armstrong…and that led to me wanting to sing jazz music.

Well, that shows that music really was your calling if you can go into Costco and find a great jazz CD. I just buy big boxes of candy.
Dude, Costco has amazing compilation CDs! I’ve found so much great music at Costco, and at good prices of course. You just gotta keep your eyes open for ‘em!

We are increasingly seeing jazz influences turning up in the mainstream with artists like Norah Jones, and Canadians Michael Buble and Diana Krall. Being a similar young artist, does it make you excited that these artists are finding mainstream success with jazz-influenced music or are you feeling any pressure to make your sound more pop/top 40?
I don’t feel any pressure to make pop music because I’m a young artist… I think any artist might feel some sort of pressure to pen a hit, but I feel like you just can’t think of that. That’s just no fun, so I’m just doing what I’m doing, just being me and that’s what I’m going to stick to. Otherwise it becomes a “real” job!

You recorded your first album at age 14, and you released your new album I Dare You at age 19. How did you develop your song writing skills at such a young age?
That’s a tough question to answer.  I’m often asked how I’ve ended up doing the things I’ve done so far at this age, but I don’t know anything otherwise.  I’m just doing what I love to do and it’s taking me to some pretty cool places.

“Cool places” like Tokyo and London where you’ve performed.  How does this international experience enhance/develop your sound?
The international experiences have been spectacular and they’ve really added to who I am.  I think that traveling the world is important for any human being.  It’s expanded me as a person, and, in turn, has expanded my sound.  It’s given me more experiences which will give me more to write about. Therefore, hopefully, letting me grow as a songwriter.

In the list of strange experiences, performing on stage right after Jackie Chan in China has got to be pretty high up there. Can we expect a duet with him on the next album?
[Laughs] Yes, that was pretty weird! I find out I’m going to play a show in China and Jackie Chan ends up going right before me! Crazy times! Alas, I don’t think there will be any duets in the future…but I shouldn’t give up hope!

We spoke to Dan Mangan, also from BC, earlier this week about his Olympic experience…what was your experience of performing and seeing the transformation of Whistler during the Olympics?
Well, the Olympics were amazing!  I had an incredible time. I’ve certainly seen Whistler and Vancouver change over the past few years in preparation for the Olympics, Whistler in particular. Lots of building and construction. During the Olympics, the energy in Whistler was so positive.  Playing in my hometown for the Olympics was wonderful! There was such a warm reception from everyone. You’d think with the big crowds there would be some hostility between countries, but everyone was so happy to be there and so willing to co-exist with smiles. I’m sad that it’s over!

I had the chance to check out the peak to peak gondola when I was in Whistler a few weeks ago, but I never thought to perform a song with a band in it like you did. What brought that on? Can we expect a “Songs From The Gondola” album coming soon?
[Laughs] That’s a pretty neat idea…”Songs from the Gondola” album has a really nice ring to it. I wish I’d thought of doing the gondola thing, but what happened was that I got a call from a friend of mine asking me to do it as part of a 2010 Initiative [a youth based media project filmed during the Olympics to promote the province] and I said yes (of course).  They put together a number of videos that they shot around town.  For instance, They staged a musical during peak times in the Old Spaghetti Factory.

You’ve received a lot of praise already for your down-to-earth personality in the ego-driven music business. How do you stay grounded throughout your career?
Well, I have some pretty terrific people around me.  My Mom would never let my ego go anywhere but the ground (down-to-earth). I have to say though, it’s not tough to keep it there.  I live a really normal life with some interesting experiences thrown in here and there.

Why be part of Canadian Music Week?
Being a part of Canadian Music Week is a really cool opportunity to showcase your music and what you’ve been doing with the Canadian music industry. It’s great to see familiar faces and make new connections.

For someone who hasn’t heard your music yet, what’s your best sales pitch to get them to check you out?
I don’t know how to answer that, to be honest. I’m not much of a sales person! I’ll just leave it with the hope that my music and my performance speak for themselves and that people enjoy what I do.