Move over Yo-Yo Ma, because Cris Derksen has arrived. The UBC music graduate, whose Cree heritage leads back to Northern Alberta, shreds the cello like she means business, all while crisscrossing musical genres.
Having toured around the world and played on-stage with Kayne West in Vancouver, Derksen is already a well-respected musician. Yet, she is not content simply being a bit player.
Armed with a loop pedal and a drum machine, Cris is able to take her cello to new levels, becoming a one-woman-band who is equally at home making atmospheric music to chill to or filling a dance floor. (Yes, that’s right, this girl gets clubs hopping by melding her cello playing with banging beats, all done live in front of the audience’s eyes).
Her debut album The Cusp, is a heady mix of throbbing rhythms and elegant melodies that begs to be listened to at full blast with a big set of headphones. With her genre-defying sound, classical chops and some hip-hop cred, this young lady appears destined for success across musical borders in 2012.
Related links:
Cris Derksen on Radio 3
Dispatch: The Musician Behind 8th Fire
posted by
Mike Green
on Feb 27, 2012