In April 2024, local musician Amy Blanding performed a song that would completely disrupt her life, eight months later she’s finally prepared to release that song, Sunbirds, on January 31st.
Known for her material that challenges authority and demands change, this track took aim at global powers, our own government, and ourselves. Blanding describes her efforts to outline the ways in which we are all complicit in the oppression of others, and bring attention to Palestinians affected by conflict between Hamas and the Israeli Defense Force.
She felt the backlash though, including her removal from her post at Northern Health. She countered with a lawsuit and told CFUR News, “Again, I consider it my responsibility to use the stage that I have to share those stories and make space for those voices. Sunbirds is the same.”
Sunbirds is available January 31st on her Bandcamp page with all proceeds going to Wear the Peace. - Ian Gregg, CFUR Due North
This story was also shared on frequencynews.ca where it was created with support of the CRFC and Local Journalism Initiative Program