Emotional Homecoming for Tami Neilson

Canada-born, New Zealand-based singer and songwriter Tami Neilson is back in Ontario to tour new album Kingmaker, her first visit since the pandemic began. She talks to Toronto Star journalist Nick Krewen about being back home.

Neilson, 45, confesses she experienced a surprise outburst of emotion at Toronto’s Pearson International Airport as she stepped off her 17-hour flight.

“This trip particularly is really, really special and quite emotional,” said Neilson, who moved to Auckland for love in 2004. “When you go through these pandemics and you’ve been apart from your family, we have to shut down a part of ourselves to survive. It’s traumatic.”

Covid-19 restrictions did do her one favour. It allowed her time to experiment and create what may be her finest work in the 10-song Kingmaker, a brilliant collection of material that is cinematic in nature and seems to possess a kindred spirit with the music of Bobbie “Ode to Billie Joe” Gentry.

After dates in Canada, Neilson returns to tour New Zealand through August.

Original article by Nick Krewen, Toronto Star, July 11, 2022.