Giving Something Back :: Environmental and Health Concerns

Giving Something Back
by author Chantale Rivard , Photos by Cline

Listening to Chantal Kreviazuk’s music is always, for me, an inspiring experience so intense that I can easily lose track of time. While writing this article, I am listening to her 2002 album What If It All Means Something. She has a unique gift–a divine voice.

The poetry in her songs is a journey for the soul. Listeners can relate to her lyrics and find a little bit of their own truths in each song. Chantal Kreviazuk is considered one of Canada’s best singer-songwriters today. Her luminous presence and enchanting voice make her an accomplished artist, but she is also a great humanitarian.

Hearing More than Music

Born in Winnipeg in 1974, Chantal Kreviazuk is a classically trained pianist, and although music always had a special place in her heart, a dramatic event served to make her aware of what she really wanted to do with her life. In 1994 she was involved in a car accident that left her with a broken leg and shattered jaw. Recuperation was difficult, but it was during that time that she sat down and wrote what became her first album, Under These Rocks and Stones. This accident was life changing, giving her the opportunity to sit down and write songs. But, as she told me, she was always very aware of health issues and the suffering of those around her.

“When I was a child, there were certain things that happened to me and my family that made me aware of others,” explains Chantal. “I can remember my grandmother having a stroke when I was very little and going to the hospital [to visit her]. Then my uncle was in a motorcycle accident and had to go into a long-term care hospital, where he lived for seven years before he died. So I just had a heightened awareness, from when I was small, about people who were suffering. I can remember when I was in school we would raise money for [poor] people in Africa. I was always very touched by that.”

Both Sides of Fame

Chantal’s status as an accomplished and recognized artist has given her the opportunity to get involved in humanitarian causes and be a voice for those who don’t ordinarily have the chance to be heard. She is engaged in causes such as War Child Canada (warchild.ca), on behalf of which she travelled to Iraq as part of their “Musicians in the War Zone” program.

It is her responsibility to her fellow human beings that she is most concerned about: Being a successful recording artist is not all she strives for. In fact, she explains, fame sometimes has a down side. “When you are an artist, people send you everything. It is indulging to the ego, to the pocketbook, to everything, to be an entertainer. When I got into it, I couldn’t have known how I was going to feel about it now.”

However, entertainers also often get asked to donate their time and money to charitable organizations. When you are given opportunities to help people through what you do, it’s like wiping the slate clean. I am doing something that matters now–music matters [to people].”

Chantal embraces that part of her career. “The part of being able to give the gift of song and beyond is amazing. I have a small output; I am not a big artist. But you know, I would rather have my small output to do something [important] than be a huge massive star and do nothing for others. People are always questioning your judgment, your agendas, and all that stuff. It can suck the life out of you to analyze what other people think of you. You have to fulfill your calling.”

A Gift to the World

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Chantale Rivard is a freelance writer, radio columnist, and photographer who has contributed articles on humanitarian and environmental issues to several independent magazines in Europe and North America.

Source: alive #286, August 2006

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