Musician William Prince at his home in Winnipeg on December 11, 2020.Shannon VanRaes/The Globe and Mail
Sundays are a special time for William Prince. A time to gather, to reflect, and to share.
In the months of the pandemic, livestreamed performances from Prince’s home in Winnipeg have been a source of comfort and joy for a growing legion of fans around the world, as he strums his guitar and sips tea, telling stories, and singing in his soothing baritone. His weekly podcast, Sunday Verse, explores his life and his work as an artist, while also reflecting on the challenges and questions of the times we are living in.
On Sunday Dec. 2, The Globe and Mail hosted the Juno-award winning artist for a special livestream performance and interview, with questions from viewers and Globe reporter Jana G. Pruden.
Watch some of the event for yourself
William Prince says the best thing First Nations people can do is survive in the face of intergenerational trauma. William won a Juno Award in 2017, but had the early goal of becoming a doctor. William tells The Globe's Jana G. Pruden he saw being a doctor as a way to challenge negative preconceptions of him as an Indigenous man and help his community.
The Globe and Mail
William Prince came to prominence with his acclaimed first album Earthly Days in 2015, which won a Juno and numerous other awards and accolades, including a Western Canadian Music Award for Aboriginal Artist of the Year.
Released in early February, 2020, Mr. Prince’s second album, Reliever, also met with broad critical acclaim, and, with its messages of hope and healing, has been a balm for many in the challenging months of this exceptional year. Mr. Prince followed that release in October with Gospel First Nation, an album he describes as a modern country-gospel collection, a reflection of his roots in Manitoba’s Interlake and Peguis First Nation, and a desire to return to a “place of comfort amidst all the chaos.”
Musician William Prince talks about Christmas growing up with his family on Peguis First Nation, Manitoba, and performs "That's All I'll Ever Become".
The Globe and Mail