Little red Winery! , 165 Chemin de Calumet O, Shawville
Canadian fiddle player from Quebec, Ursula Schultz will be headlining the evening with special guest.
Soulful and raw, Mikhail Laxton’s debut collection Too Easy serves as a powerful introduction to an artist poised to join the ranks of Canada’s great singer-songwriters. Drawing inspiration primarily from the power of love, Laxton delivers his message through his unforgettable voice and funky acoustic melodicism. It is indeed too easy to defy genres when your music is a reflection of exactly who you are. Laxton, who now calls Ottawa home, relocated to Canada’s capital from his native Australia three years ago upon marrying his wife Leah. The move also proved to be a boost to his creative life, as most of the songs on the recordcame out of the emotional whirlwind he experienced during that period. By opening himself up through his music, Laxton quickly saw the positive impact it had on his audiences. In 2015, Laxton auditioned for Australia’s version of the immensely popular television show The Voice, where he advanced to the “Super Battle” round that season. Although the rules of the show stipulated that contestants sing songs by other artists, Laxton was encouraged by celebrity coach Jessie J to keep developing his original material. That turned out to be a huge turning point, he admits, which sethim on the path that ultimately brought him to Canada. It didn’t take long for Laxton to draw the attention of the Canadian music industry upon his arrival. In fact, he almost immediately found a writing partner in Maia Davies, known for co-writing with Jill Barber, Serena Ryder and many others, on top of making music on her own and with her former band Ladies Of The Canyon. Davies, in turn, introduced Laxton to her producer/business partner Gavin Brown (Billy Talent, Barenaked Ladies) who, upon hearing the new songs, pushed to get Laxton into the studio as soon as possible. That attitude is ingrained within Mikhail Laxton and is sure to serve him well as his fan base grows across Canada and around the world. “I love travelling and seeing new places, but I feel so lucky to be in Canada—Canadians are so friendly, it’s annoying,” he jokes. “They’re also really receptive to hearing new music, which I totally wasn’t expecting. The genuine interactions with people I’ve had at shows has truly touched my heart, and validated my belief that I don’t write songs for me, I write them for whoever is listening.”