Music Spotlight: Daniel Champagne

Australian singer-songwriter Daniel Champagne makes his sophomore appearance on The Rock with a trio of performances this winter

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Singer, songwriter and guitar virtuoso Daniel Champagne returns to the rock for his second Newfoundland and Labrador performance. Champagne will return to Canada from Jan. 15 to Feb. 12 for his most extensive Canadian tour to date, with performances in St. John’s, Lewisporte, and Corner Brook.

A Boy and His Guitar 

The young, gifted Australian performer was born with talent in music, emitting a natural ease on stage and capturing the audience with his incredible voice, original songs, and crazy guitar style. The solo artist has made a name for himself by only performing alongside his guitar, fabricating and replicating band sounds using the single instrument.

The Newfoundland Herald caught up with Champagne for an exclusive interview about his life as a musician, and the upcoming tour.

“I was born in Melbourne, and then I grew up sort of halfway between Sydney and Melbourne on the south coast of New South Wales,” Champagne shared.

“When I finished school I didn’t really know what I wanted to do, but music was my favourite thing to do. So, I just sort of figured I’d go and try and play as much as I could, and started touring around Australia. Eventually I started touring around other countries, then I moved to Nashville, in the U.S., about four years ago. I’m currently based out of the U.S.”

Moving to America wasn’t such a hard decision, with the market there taking the lead in the music and entertainment industry. The musician admits he loves heading home and touring around his native country, but with dreams as big as the world, it didn’t take long to feel like he was going in circles, so he headed out to Nashville. 

“I love touring in Australia, but it’s a very big country with a small population. In Australia it doesn’t take long to feel like you’re going in circles a little bit. So, I guess when I moved to America I just kind of chose a city to be based out. I don’t really live there, like I’m on the road all the time. Last year I played something like 280 shows, pretty much every night, but Nashville is the place that I keep my guitars, and other things.”

Fault Lines in NL

With the release of his most recent album, Fault Lines, last May, Champagne is excited to once again return to Canada for his winter tour, including Newfoundland, to perform some of his new material.

“I must’ve been to Canada 20 times or something. I love it. I come here a couple times a year, since I was 18 actually,” Champagne explained.

“Physically, Canada doesn’t remind me of home, but I think there’s certain things in the people that are similar. Winnipeg is kind of my Canadian home, that’s always a favourite stop. Toronto is always good to me, and I look forward to getting out east. I’ve never been further east than Montreal up until this summer actually. This past summer I came out to play Newfoundland Folk Festival and that was my first opportunity to get out there, and I drove all the way, which was fun. I’m looking forward to coming to Newfoundland again.”

For info on tour dates and ticket prices, www.danielchampagnemusic.com

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