Linda McLean & The Awakening, New Song Release, "Working It All Out." Out Now.
Linda McLean & The Awakening – Bio
After more than a decade away from releasing a full-length record, Canadian singer-songwriter Linda McLean returns with a powerful new chapter, her debut EP with Linda McLean & The Awakening. Rooted in the rich soil of rural Nova Scotia, where she now lives in a 19th-century manse nestled along the Avon River, these new songs reflect a profound creative reawakening, forged through quiet transformation and the resilience of nature.
McLean spent the past decade turning inward, writing books and cultivating a life of reflection. Her memoir, The Importance of Being Important, explored grief, healing, and creative rebirth, and was accompanied by original music that bridged her literary and musical worlds. But it wasn’t until the songs demanded to be heard, too loud to ignore, that McLean returned fully to her first love: making music.
Recording began in 2022 with a return to Sonic Temple studio in Halifax, intending to reimagine older material. But what emerged instead was an outpouring of new songs, co-written and co-produced with husband and longtime collaborator Andy McLean.
Linda’s lyrical honesty and folk roots met Andy’s Brit-pop guitar sensibilities, and the result was unmistakable chemistry. Together with drummer Dick Denhaan and bassist Mark Bezanson, the band formed organically and recorded live off the floor, capturing raw, vintage warmth that evokes 1970s influences like Dusty Springfield and Tom Petty.
Their forthcoming EP showcases songs born from garden soil and solitude. Tracks like “Working It All Out” and “Write Your Song” explore personal truth, mortality, and transformation with unapologetic nostalgia and an Americana-rock flair. The recording process, set entirely in McLean’s home, with open windows and community celebration, reflects the intimacy and authenticity of her music.
The band’s live performances are magnetic and soulful. In 2024, they sold out three nights at Halifax’s Carleton and are now expanding internationally with a headline show at London’s Green Note and a spot at Suffolk’s Americana Maverick Festival.
Raised by Norwegian immigrants and shaped by early independence, McLean’s storytelling blends personal history with universal truths. Her music is a negotiation between past and future, solitude and connection, grief and joy. It’s a conversation with the self, and an invitation to the listener.
With her new band The Awakening, Linda McLean proves that reinvention isn’t only possible - it’s essential. This is music that speaks from the garden and the gut, born from quiet knowing, creative courage, and a belief that it’s never too late to rock.
