Ange Hehr learned to play the drums at age six, the guitar at age 15, and she made it into the top 100 for Canadian Idol at the age of 23. In two years, she has become a staple in the Victoria music scene, playing weekly at pub gigs at the Irish Times, Swans, and Bard & Banker (catch her there playing solo every Monday at 8:30). Her musical talent and charm with the audience is refreshing and undeniably unique.
Hehr grew up in the small northern town of Fort Nelson, BC, playing varsity basketball and working in the local mill. She often played in bands with her father, who is a drummer and her biggest musical influence. While living in Quesnel, BC, Hehr played in bars and also worked in the mill there. But, eventually, she made her way to Victoria.
“I promised myself I would only spend a year in Quesnel and then move forward,” says Hehr. “It’s very easy to become comfortable living in a small town, working at the mill, and making good money. However, it was one of those things I put up with, but didn’t love it.”
Hehr performs with her band, the Ange Hehr Band, weekly; they play an array of cover tunes. She also does solo acoustic sets, where she takes requests from the audience. Hehr says she will attempt just about any song given to her, even far-out requests like, say, the Spice Girls.
Hehr says she has chosen to sing cover songs for a few different reasons. “Somebody has done something so well,” she says, “and I just love singing the songs. I love it so much; it’s fun and it’s easy.”
Hehr has always written her own music and is inspired by her past experiences. However, writing songs is scary and vulnerable for her, and because of that, sometimes writing gets put aside. To remedy that, she’s planning to start collaborating with fellow songwriter Sean Baker.
“I feel I need to collaborate with someone, in order to force me out of me out of my box,” says Hehr.
Due to the rapidly changing music industry, Hehr knows the obstacles that a new musician faces in producing original music.
“It’s really hard to make money performing original music,” she explains. “You struggle, you tour, and you might break even, but probably not, and you definitely need to come through. Today’s listener is wise, and you need to be different. But writing and performing my original music is definitely the end game.”
One of her pet peeves, she says, is musicians who don’t take the time to engage with their fans.
“I don’t understand how you could be who you are, or be doing what you are doing, if you don’t share with other humans. Why would they follow you, or love what you do?” asks Hehr.
Hehr is playing solo shows at 8 pm on February 4 at Breakwater Bistro and at 7:30 pm on February 5 at the Penny Farthing. At 9 pm on February 6 and 7 she plays with the Ange Hehr Band at Bard & Banker.
There is no cover charge to get in to any of the performances.