A former Chemainus resident now living in Smithers is releasing two singles to honour the role of motherhood over the upcoming Mother’s Day Weekend.
Singer-songwriter Kristin Ormiston’s first single A Better Goodbye is a tribute song to Sandy Nixon, the mother of two teenage daughters in Smithers.
In July 2019, Nixon tragically died from breast cancer, only a few weeks after her eldest daughter graduated from high school.
“Both of Sandy’s daughters are singing on this track and have done a beautiful job honouring their mother within this piece of music,” Ormiston said.
Ormiston and the girls chose a country music genre for the song because Nixon graduated in Calgary and has extended family who farm in Alberta.
Olivia and Drew Nixon, Sandy’s daughters, have also created a dance video for the song release day.
Ormiston’s second single Find is a song she composed for her own children who are now all well into their adulthood.
“Find reflects upon what we often feel as parents when we have done the very best we could, but dream of going back in time so that we could give our children more than we were able to,” Ormiston explained.
Ormiston raised her children in Chemainus during their elementary and high school years in the late 1990s and early 2000s while she and her ex-husband both worked as performing artists at the Chemainus Theatre Festival.
“One of my songs that I am releasing is actually a direct reflection of that time we spent together in the Cowichan Valley, truly the best place in the world to raise a family,” she added.
Ormiston and her adult children still have many friends in Chemainus and have always considered themselves community people.
Ormiston has been a performing artist all over the world for many years. Theatre, music and writing have taken her to many locations in western Canada and Japan.
During that time, she was also a teacher, owner of a small farm with Nubian goats, a manager of a waterfront music venue and restaurant, and an artist in residence at an international school in Tokyo.
Since settling in Smithers, she is inspired to continue with her passions of writing and performing music.
Both songs will be released onto all major streaming platforms on May 6, the Friday of Mother’s Day Weekend.
You can find Ormiston’s new release on Facebook and on her website: kristinormiston.com.
