Katelyn Lehner. (LeClair Media)

By Nigel Maxwell

Local Success Stories

Prince Albert alumna nominated best new artist

Feb 12, 2021 | 3:00 PM

Three months after the release of her debut single, Katelyn Lehner’s music career has taken off to a running sprint.

The former St. Mary track star has been nominated for a Saskatchewan Country Music Association (SCMA) award – best new emerging artist. Lehner told paNOW she was surprised by the news.

“Releasing Red just back in October I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to be nominated in that category so it’s just so exciting that I’ve officially made it to the top five,” she said.

Lehner. (Submitted photo/Nicole Romanoff)

Lehner’s debut single was released Oct. 9, and has been climbing up the Canadian charts. When Lehner spoke with paNOW at the time of the song’s release, she explained how it tells a story how two people can get caught up in the moment with small meaningless arguments, saying things they don’t mean. She said her message was those same couples need to take a break and appreciate each other and what they have.

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“It really only has been four months since I released that song and it’s just been so exciting. I feel like lots of doors have opened up and connections from that song,” she said.

Lehner plans to release her second single in the summer, and is working with Bart McKay, an award winning Canadian country music producer, engineer and musician with a studio located in Saskatoon. Down the road, Lehner also hopes to release a full length album.

Due to COVID, Lehner has obviously been unable to perform her hit single on stage but has hosted a number of virtual shows, including one this Saturday for the Nutrien Fire Works festival. The show is based in Saskatoon but is being live streamed.

“I think I speak for the whole music industry when I say that everyone has been really missing live music,” Lehner said, adding it’s great though that technology has still allowed artists like herself to do something from home and have outreach to audiences.

“But it’s going to be a really great feeling when we can all come together in person,” she said.

The 32nd annual SCMA Awards Show, will take April 17. Other local nominees include Munro and Patrick (group of the year), Janaya Trudel and Jolissa Trudel (songwriter of the year and video of the year), Shawn Blackman (guitar player of the year), and Saskatchewan Country CKBI (major market radio station of the year).

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nigel.maxwell@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell