Goldie Boutilier | Quiet on Set

Hidden Track

As an artist, she's always been a bit of a shapeshifter.

Over the course of her wildly diverse career, she's touched on numerous different genres, been signed to a series of major record labels, and made music under several monikers.

Her journey has taken her from a tiny community on Nova Scotia's Cape Breton Island, to the bright lights of Los Angeles at age 20, to the City of Light – Paris, France.

Her latest work sees her returning to Canada, coming back to her musical roots in many, taking ownership of her art and her story, and reverting to her real nickname and surname, Goldie Boutilier.

We were lucky enough to catch up with Goldie during a breathless 2024 tour which saw her paired up for a run of dates across the continent with Orville Peck. And this autumn sees her rolling back through these parts – this time on her debut North American headlining tour, to celebrate the release of her brilliant new album, out September 27th – The Actress.

Her latest music is inspired by some of the music she grew up hearing – ranging from Tammy Wynnette to Fleetwood Mac, Alison Krauss to the Twin Peaks soundtrack. The songs are informed by the transformations and heartbreaks she's undergone over the years and by her profoundly disturbing real-life experience -- living out the youthful dream of signing a major label deal and moving to L.A. As we'll hear, show business can be a cold, cruel, predatory enterprise; one that many artists only triumph over by reclaiming their narrative and artistic selves, on their own terms.

That's what Goldie has done in her recent evolution, beginning with her arresting 2022 EP Cowboy Gangster Politician, carrying on through 2023's Emerald Year, and now The Actress. If Goldie's wild career arc were a Hollywood screenplay, it might seem a little too far-fetched to be believable. But, as Goldie sings on the title track to her new EP:

"I am the actress, and you're in my movie."

Host: Grant Stovel | Producer: Scott Zielsdorf | Graphics: Craig Taffs | Music: Doug Hoyer

Mixing for this session provided by Brendan Cross.