Made In Manitoba's Rachel Colman is excited to release her new album, Make a Way, on Saturday, Oct. 26.
Growing up in Altona, Man. Colman's father made sure that music was always in their home. "My father played guitar and sang in a quartet and he made sure that I knew a lot about music. I took piano lessons and I probably started singing in church when I was seven with him, and then I studied music in university," Colman says.
After working as a music director in churches for around 20 years, she says, "That venue of music, I feel a vocation for me."
After her father passed away, she says, "I came to the realization that it was time to write, so I started writing."
Colman says that her father and his music have definitely had an impact on her own music. "You'll notice if you hear the album, that harmonies are a big deal and you'll hear sometimes it's me and sometimes it's friends of mine. There are great harmonies all throughout, and that's really from singing with my dad and with my brother."
Featured on her album, Make a Way, Colman says, "The topics I'm covering throughout the album are difficult emotions, difficult seasons in life, and a lot of prayers. And so there's a lot of space in the music. Some of the songs only have two lines of words, but they're things that will hold you through and help you pray."
Writing through the challenging seasons has helped Colman grow in her own faith. "One of the things I maybe not intentionally, but ended up discovering through songwriting is when you're going through difficult seasons, what can we say is true? What can we say God is doing for us? Because God doesn't always just fix everything right away and make it all better. But God is really with us and present through those times."
Colman gave a sneak peek at what listeners can expect from the album by performing the title track 'Make a Way' live in the studio.
Colman shares that after hearing the album, listeners will know that it's OK to bring all your emotions to God. "God is there to hold them and to walk with you through them."
The online release date of the album is today, Friday, Oct. 25.
To celebrate the album coming out, Colman is hosting a release party on Oct. 26 at St. Michael and All Angels at 300 Hugo Street North at 7 p.m. Tickets can be purchased for $20 here or at the door.