The new year will be a big one for Rosie and the Riveters. The trio, consisting of Allyson Reigh, Alexis Normand and Farideh Olsen, is getting ready to release its latest album, excited to bring the new music to fans, including those fans in Yorkton on January 20. They will be in town as part of the Yorkton Arts Council鈥檚 Stars for Saskatchewan series.
The Yorkton show will be a first for the group, Reigh says, as she doesn鈥檛 believe that they have performed in the city before. Since it鈥檚 naturally going to be a first for many fans, Reigh says they should expect to have fun.
鈥淥ur goal as a band is to uplift and empower audiences, and leave them feeling as if they just had a really, really fun time where they could forget all the other stuff they had going on in their lives.鈥�
The band inspired by the past, with a distinct vintage throwback style, whether it鈥檚 the name of the band itself 鈥� inspired by the famous Rosie the Riveter poster from the second World War 鈥� the look of the performers or the music they perform. The vintage spark started with the way the trio sounded together, Reigh explains.
鈥淚t just was a natural conclusion for us to come to. Let鈥檚 have a vintage flair with our music and our look. I think that the 鈥�40s were not the best time for women, but I think there is a lot to be said for taking those superficial things like the style of the 鈥�40s and leave behind the negative aspects.鈥�
The focus on fun is not to say that the band doesn鈥檛 tackle serious issues in their music. Reigh notes that their newest album has songs about issues that affect women and can be uncomfortable to talk about, such as believing survivors of sexual assault and sexual violence, or highlighting the gender pay gap, but they want to have a positive message as they tackle those issues.
鈥淓verything for us must be powerful and send a message that there鈥檚 hope.鈥�
The band is proud of their new record, the result of an intense period of work, right from the start of the process. The new album is a more collaborative effort than their first, and every song was written by all members of the group.
鈥淲e wrote over 40 songs together in a cabin in Northern Saskatchewan, so we secluded ourselves and just got to writing.鈥�
The difference on the second album is that the band is closer together now than they have ever been. Reigh says that it has been a breakthrough for the band, and one that brought them closer together.
鈥淲e really are a tighter unit. When you鈥檙e together with people, for good or bad, 24 hours a day for however long you鈥檙e on the road, you really get to know each other.鈥�
The band does more than just sing about empowering women, they put their words into actions, investing 20 per cent of their merchandise profits into women鈥檚 projects around the world through Kiva, a microfinancing platform.
鈥淔or us, it鈥檚 really important because a lot of women鈥檚 projects are under-funded. They are arts based, community based, or the 鈥渟ofter鈥� projects... The quote that we go by is that when you empower a woman you change a community, and that鈥檚 really what drives us.鈥�
While it鈥檚 the band鈥檚 first time in Yorkton as a band, they鈥檙e familiar with the town, especially聽 Olsen, whose husband comes from here. Reigh says that they鈥檙e excited to play here, and that people in the province are welcoming no matter which community they visit.
鈥淔rom everyone else that played there, we have heard wonderful things, so we鈥檙e looking聽 forward to meeting everyone.鈥�
Visit www.rosieandtheriveters.com to learn more about the group, the show is on January 20 at 7:30 at the Anne Portnuff Theatre.
