To be inspired by being inspiring...

Last Saturday, I held a booksigning at Indigo Books at South Common, in Edmonton, Alberta. It turned out to be the most unusal signing I've ever had! First of all, I wasn't aware of all the activity going on in our city, so the date was one of the worst I could have picked. As a result, my sales were very low. But towards the end of the signing, I realized that that wasn't WHY I was there. One of the managers of Indigo approached me as I was packing up, and told me that I had inspired her, that she had been watching me for the past 2 years, and that apparently I had unknowingly given her some words of inspiration. You see, Alexia Melnychuk is a singer-songwriter. In fact on her site, she says she's an "emerging" singer-songwriter. I think emerging may be an understatement, especially once she really gets flying. Alexia presented me with a CD, her debut album, Flying Machine. Now, I have to say, I've been given demo albums before and for the most part they sound like they're taped in a bar, with a handheld tape recorder. But not hers!!! After my signing, I popped her CD in my van's player and sat outside Indigo listening to her album. tr the first ten seconds I was talking out loud. "Oh my God!" "Wow"..."God, Alexia!" How could this talent have been hidden? And why is she still working at Indigo? I had tears in my eyes listening to her voice. That's talent!! She may believe I inspired her, but I have to admit, she has inspired me! Since Saturday, I have listened to her album repeatedly. I am now her #1 fan! I have found myself singing along, and I even found myself humming one of her songs when my house was silent. I can imagine clearly her songs being played on the radio stations, a top 10 countdown with hers in #1, and I can see her winning Canadian Idol. Here is the review I wrote for her on her debut album. I highly recommend Flying Machine to anyone who love Marin Ord, Sarah MacLaughlin, and any of the great female singers! Alexia Melnychuk is a rising star...and I am so very proud to know her! Alexia Melnychuk is a Powerhouse of Emotion in her Debut CD, Flying Machine! Canadian singer-songwriter Alexia Melnychuk has just released her debut album, Flying Machine. This Edmonton artist wrote five original songs for the album, and also plays guitar and sings lead and harmony vocals. Flying Machine is a soulful mix of folk, pop and country that will bring trios like The Dixie Chicks and Wilson Phillips to mind. Yet what's so amazing is that this is ONE unique Canadian voice, not three. Songs include Look at You, Home, Diamonds, Everything, and the title song, Flying Machine. The mandolin and fiddle, played by Tyler Volrath, add a wistful harmony to Melnychuk's exquisitely wrought melodies, while piano and organ accompaniment are provided by David Aide. It's said that 'great things come in small packages'. Well, one would never expect such a voice to come from this petite Canadian 'diamond'. Move over Canadian Idol! Alexia Melnychuk's in town--and she's a Flying Machine! Check out Alexia Melnychuk and the title track of Flying Machine at www.alexiamelnychuk.com ~ Cheryl Kaye Tardif, author of Whale Song