Episode 1: Nicole Lefaive of Ariko

Welcome to the Midland Makes Music podcast. In our first episode, we are going to be talking to Nicole Lefaive, a member of Ariko in the Lafontaine area of Ontario. Nicole joins us today to discuss how the band got started and the genres their music encompasses.

Ariko is a family band. Nicole’s father was a music teacher in the area, and she and her two sisters would join him on stage to perform. When Nicole was in elementary school, they began to get their own gigs as a band. They would play all over the area, performing traditional French-Canadian songs, and expanded their repertoire over time by writing their own music.

When it comes to musical influences, it isn’t bands that have influenced their sound, it’s genres. From bluegrass to jazz to traditional French-Canadian, all these sounds and genres combine to create the sound of Ariko.

For Nicole, the band’s greatest achievement was performing a showcase at the Contact Ontario event. Going in, they never thought much would come from it, but they ended up winning a prize that allowed their band to tour schools around Ontario. Being able to show children traditional music they had never heard before was a highlight. A few years ago, the band played at the Mariposa Folk Festival, which Nicole had been going to since she was young. She touts this as one of her favourite venues that she has played at.

Due to the pandemic, the band has been performing a lot less. They did do some virtual performances, which are still fun, but the atmosphere isn’t the same. As for the future, the band has lots of new music and is hoping to record it soon.

Find out more about Ariko:

Website: https://www.arikomusique.com/