Winnipeg pop duo wins national honour

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 07/12/2020 (1799 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Charleswood heavy pop duo Bold as Lions recently nabbed third place in the 2020 Canada’s Walk of Fame emerging musician program.

Sean and Karli Quigley — partners on stage and in real life — were the only Manitobans shortlisted out of 1,400 submissions.

“To have a nationwide organization with a lot of respected industry professionals give you a little pat on the back, you know ‘You’re going good, kid. Keep going,’… it feels really good,” Sean said.

Karli said she was shocked and thrilled to hear the news, as they’d entered the contest months earlier and had been immersed in the creation of their new album, peace in the chaos.

The achievement earned Bold as Lions $4,000 and a golden ticket to a number of industry mentorships and artist workshops throughout 2021. The two said they will use the winnings to continue making art.

“We’re really excited,” Sean said. “For the rest of the year we’re finishing up two more videos to complete the entire visual album. And then we’re going full force into the new year with new songs and new videos.”

Bold as Lions is dropping one music video to accompany each of the album’s 13 songs. The pair independently shoot, direct, and edit the majority of their work.

The band teamed up with local choreographer and contemporary dancer Théa Funk, on the music video for Better Now.

Sean, 25, and Karli, 27, said seeing Funk take the floor of the historic Fort Garry Hotel ballroom was one of the most special moments of the project.

“It was emotional to see her perform it for the first time. Watching the words we wrote come to life with a face to watch and tell the story in a new way was truly beautiful,” Karli said.  

Bold as Lions has refined its singular pop sound over its six-year career. Sean said his music style is steeped in elements of Winnipeg’s steadfast hardcore punk scene.

“I grew up listening to hardcore punk. I love metal and rock, so I’m very inspired by that,” he said. “I kind of view the synthesizers in our music the same way that I viewed electric guitars growing up, that kind of edgy, crunchy, aggressive sound.”

The band records and produces everything in its home studio. Sean has an arsenal of vintage synthesizers and creates his own as well, some of which are featured on the new album.

Tracks such as You’re Not Alone, from peace in the chaos contain prescient lyrics — written before the pandemic — about loneliness and uncertainty.

“To have something we released before the world changed be so relevant now is crazy,” Karli said.
Bold as Lions is hoping its new audio-visual series of songs and videos will reach people at home through their computer screens, at a time when many artists are forging new ways to connect with audiences.

“As musicians, it’s hard to go out on the road and play shows and meet people, but right now we’re not even focusing on that at all,” Sean said. “If something we sing about or say can resonate with someone, then that’s the reason we keep doing this.”