DRESSING FOR HER BIG NIGHT
Ottawa singer Jill Zmud is good to go
As Jill Zmud slowly flips through the clothing racks at her favourite Ottawa boutique, her eyes get misty when she talks about her seven-month-old daughter Violet and then well up again a few minutes later while discussing the death of her father.
The singer/songwriter is searching for the perfect dress to wear to the Canadian Folk Music Awards after being nominated for contemporary album of the year for her disc Small Matters of Life and Death. After an emotional three years, Zmud feels blessed that her work, a heartfelt ode to life’s loss and love, is being recognized.
For special occasions — like her wedding to her husband, Alan Neal of CBC Radio’s popular afternoon show All In A Day — Zmud turns to the owners of Victoire boutique for clothing advice.
During a recent shopping excursion at the store’s Dalhousie Street location, the stay-at-home mom joked it felt to good to get dressed up for a change.
“I haven’t felt this pretty in a long time,” she says.
When Zmud got her nomination nod, she knew she wanted to wear a Canadian design from Victoire and that it had to be extra special with an “unexpected twist.”
A pretty floral dress by Darling, a British designer, catches her eye but doesn’t quite make the cut. After a bit more digging, her eyes light up and a grin stretches across her animated face that screams, “Found it!” She heads into a dressing room and emerges with the winner. The Betina Lou Alicia dress by Montreal designer Marie-Eve Emond fits like a glove. The black cocktail dress with open V-back and decorative bow features sunburst pleats, a lined bodice and a side zipper.
“This is the one. I love the bow at the back and the quality of the material,” says Zmud, who plans to wear sparkly gold earrings and a necklace her mother gave her.
Katie Frappier and business partner Regine Paquette opened Victoire eight years ago. The high school chums expanded to Wellington Street four years ago and in Toronto last February. Ninety per cent of the clothing they sell is made in Canada. In March, Victoire was recognized by Elle Canada magazine as one of the top six independent boutiques to check out in the country.
“Running a small business is always a roller-coaster ride. What keeps us excited and engaged is hearing from customers like Jill that we matter. It makes us feel special.
“Jill’s dress is demure and elegant and is a big hit for us. The designer is an amazing pattern maker,” Frappier says.
Zmud says she was thrilled to be nominated for a CFMA in a country chock full of folk talent. Originally from Saskatoon, she moved to Ottawa to study at Carleton University’s Norman Paterson School of International Affairs.
A relative latecomer to the music scene, she only learned how to play guitar in her early 20s and released her first disc, As We Quietly Drive By, in 2009, which landed her on the folk festival circuit.
While working on Small Matters of Life and Death, Zmud’s father Bill died unexpectedly in 2011 during a routine surgery.
“I couldn’t write for a year after that. I realized I needed to kick myself into gear so I went ahead and booked a CD release at the NAC with the objective of getting my album finished.”
Three months later, much to her delight, Zmud discovered she was pregnant. The disc is steeped in emotion: the joys of being in a loving relationship and on the cusp of motherhood, tempered by the grief over her father’s passing. The album also honours her mother’s brother, Eddie Clynton, a singer/ songwriter who died in a car crash 40 years ago.
After discovering a box in her parents’ basement containing dusty reel-to-reel tapes of her uncle’s songs, Zmud recorded two of them and his voice can be heard on the tracks.
“Losing my dad and resurrecting my uncle’s songs was huge for me and my family. There was a lot of pain for my mom’s family when her brother died. His music was sitting in the corner of a basement closet for 40 years but now it’s seeing the light of day. And it’s a huge honour that I get to be a part of it.”
During an Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign for her album, Zmud was surprised that people who knew her uncle were reaching out to connect and donate.
“I discovered that the gentleman who was in the car with my uncle when he died had made a donation. We connected and he ended up coming to the NAC for my CD release.”
Zmud used some of her uncle’s song titles as a springboard to write new material imagining what his life was like. One of her Uncle Ed’s songs, New Jersey Turnpike, features vocals by Blue Rodeo’s Jim Cuddy.
Zmud, who performed Thursday night at a nominee reception for the CFMAs, is looking forward to slipping on her new Victoire dress Saturday night and to revel in the whole experience.
“I worked hard on this album so the nomination is a nice validation. I would say I’m a long shot to win.”
As for any future plans for a third album, Zmud, 36, is content to spend time with Violet, her mother, who has moved to Ottawa, and her husband’s parents.
“Violet is really hilarious and quite wonderful. I think she probably has a career in comedy. It would be nice if she slept more, though.”