Honeygirl

Katrina Kadoski spent many years with musical projects dancing in her head. She's played in Victoria, building off years of training performing in musicals and showcasing her voice, but until a sweet meeting that seemed a long time coming, Kadoski was destined to keep searching for her musical collaborators. Kadoski met Velle Huscroft before any of the other band members were found to make Honeygirl. She had seen Huscroft sing and play fiddle and listed her as a potential partner to help move her music forward. Kadoski put together a package to try and entice Huscroft with her songs, but before Huscroft even had a chance to read the musical lines, coincidence spurred their friendship forward. "My friend had literally just handed her the package and she was opening it when I saw her and went up to introduce myself," Kadoski recalls. The serendipitous timing convinced Huscroft and the two became fast friends taking off on a duo tour of Europe a few months later. Kadoski was born in Fort McMurray Alberta where she won the Rotary Music Festival's Best Alberta vocalist at age nine. She moved to Victoria in 1991. Huscroft grew up in Creston and was fiddle champ there at 12-years-old. The two agreed they were looking for multi-instrumentalists to form their vision, but when they placed an ad it went unanswered. Things might have looked bleak, but proving the adage of right place at right time, they soon found Megan Boddy, Skye Dumond, Shelly Okepnak, each bringing a horde of instruments guitar, fiddle bass, djembe, kit drums, piano and madolin, and song ideas. "It doesn't feel like anyone is the sole creative source. We all participate and it is a different dynamic to feed off," explains Boddy who plays keyboards, among other instruments, for the group. Boddy and Kadoski chat about what Honeygirl has become, noting for each of them by bringing together five women their own musical leanings have expanded. "I never considered myself a solo singer," says Boddy. "Singing harmonies is all about listening, but singing solo is about your craft as a singer. (Honeygirl) is about being pushed to things you wouldn't normally do," she says. "Honeygirl has helped you find your voice," says Kadoski, expecting Boddy's giggle in reply. Boddy says she tended to play more alternative music before joining the band, while Kadoski was heading down the pop singer/songwriter route. But having such a large combination of instruments and backgrounds, Honeygirl found folk was the genre large enough to incorporate them all. "Working as a group also helps to make you stop focusing on yourself and how you feel," says Boddy. "Yeah, the whining singer/songwriter doesn't work anymore," adds Kadoski. Honeygirl will play at Lucky Bar with opening act Jenny Allen (from Calgary) July 22 at 9 p.m. Cover is $5 at the door. For more information call 382 -LUCK - Ingrid Paulsen Victoria News Group

“....the sweet songs of Honeygirl, who just sound better and better every time I see them.” Kevin Wright - The Villager



“Honeygirl is my favorite new band” Dave Lennam - The Daily - Shaw Cable Victoria



"Three-part harmonies and masterful instrumentals whisk the listener through the songs, leaving them always wanting more, more, more! This is a real opportunity to catch up-and-coming stars at the very beginning." – Don Bowes -Sunshine Music Festival



- Various