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Pandemic lockdown fuels a flurry of songwriting for Red Deer music duo

Wiklund vs Wiklund will release a new single monthly in 2021
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Red Deer’s Wiklund vs. Wiklund is celebrating a burst of songwriting creativity during the 2020 lockdown by releasing a new tune to YouTube and multiple digital music platforms in each month of 2021. (Contributed image).

Red Deer music duo Wiklund vs. Wiklund is celebrating a flurry of songwriting during the 2020 pandemic lock-down with a new single release in each month of 2021.

The January tune is Eclipse, inspired by an actual cosmic event the couple experienced while driving through Manitoba in 2017.

Dan and Melody Wiklund recalled pulling their car over on a dirt road when a hole appeared in the sky. It looked as if “the moon collided with the sun,” said Melody. “It was amazing to witness…”

As a songwriter, she later imagined the eclipse as “a portal to another place in time where, for a brief phase, you could reach in and connect with your loved ones again.

“I guess by this point, Covid was really starting to get to me.” Melody joked.

It seemed as if 2020 would be a break-out year for the duo; The couple had completed their debut album, Love Aches, in 2018, and spent 2019 “relentlessly” touring across western Canada and the US.

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Having won a Red Deer Entertainment Award and snagging an opener for Canadian icon Kim Mitchell, it seemed as if their hard work was paying off — “and then Covid-19 reared it’s ugly head,” recalled Dan.

“We managed to squeeze in about a dozen shows or so before the first lock-down, but all in all, 2020 drastically changed our lifestyle bringing live music and touring to a halt,” he explained.

“We did the only thing we could do — make use of the downtime and create some new music.”

Eighteen new acoustic videos were recorded in their home studio — classic covers as well as original material for their YouTube channel.

“It was something we had always planned on doing, we just never seemed to have the time before, so I guess this was the perfect opportunity,” said Melody.

Their new collection is called Albedo, which means a measure of the reflectivity of a surface. “Our overall theme is reflection… I think everyone had the opportunity to reflect on their own experiences of these intense energies,” said Dan.

New singles from this collection will be released throughout the year through platforms like Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube. Their videos can be seen on YouTube.

The next song, Learn About Livin’, will be released Feb. 11. Described as an “upbeat rocker,” it encourages listeners to “dig deep… and move forward with life, despite certain setbacks. “

Dear Jim, set for a March release, started as a ditty about the Wiklunds’ pet cat. But the music became so moving, the tune transformed into a final goodbye to an unhealthy, broken relationship.

The Wiklunds hope their blend of rock, country, soul, blues and pop offers “little something for everyone to connect with.”

Dan says, “We feel very fortunate and grateful that during these strange times, we can still make music. It’s really the only thing that keeps us going some days…

“Music really does heal the soul.”



lmichelin@reddeeradvocate.com

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