Peak Performance Project 2012: Dominique Fricot
byThe Peak Performance Project (“PPP”) has recently announced its Top 20 finalists for 2012. Now in its fourth year, the program — in partnership with the Music BC Industry Association — is committed to investing in BC music and hands out $320,000 annually toward the development of it’s top artists.
Top 20 Finalists
These Top 20 artists will go through a 6-month music industry boot camp along with a live concert series from September to October. The Top 5 artists will be announced in November, followed by a finale at the Commodore with the Top 3 where the winner will be crowned.
Dominique Fricot
I sat down with finalist Dominique Fricot to chat about his career and found out he’s previously participated in project with a band a few years ago. Now a solo act, his new album “If Baby Could Walk” is already gaining traction with frequent air play of his single Haunted by Love on 100.5 The Peak.
For me, there’s an immediate emotional connection to a song when I hear references to Vancouver in the lyrics. “The corner of Cambie and 16th / The crossroads where we’d meet.” The female vocalist on the album is another Peak Performance Project alumnus, Hilary Grist, who Fricot knows through friends. He says she’s the go-to person whenever there’s a need for a female voice on a track.
On his bio page I read the words “male Adele”, referencing material that he produced after a painful breakup. I had to ask him about his creative process and if this emotional event added to the depth of his music. “It’s funny how it ends up being like that — that when you break your heart or have drama the clarity and vision of the artistic sense becomes extremely profound.” He added, “Whatever’s stressing me out, music kind of balances me.”
Fricot was born and raised in BC and has toured the country with his former band and as a solo artist. He’s based in Vancouver and is ramping up for a summer of shows, festival performances, and the PPP bootcamp which will take place in August. He said he’ll be picking up shows, opening for other acts, and building out a plan over the next few months.
As with many careers and paths, things don’t magically happen and it takes a lot of work — and resilience — to keep pushing through to get the result you want. “You have to continuously find open doors to walk through and see what’s on the other side,” Fricot told me. “[The PPP] is a great launchpad. It’s not about winning or losing, it’s about giving the most professional approach, and showing them how I can launch my career out of it.”
You can catch Dominique Fricot live this Saturday, June 9, 2012 at St. James Hall as he officially launches his album “If Baby Could Walk” with Ciseaux and Hilary Grist. Ticket packages are available bundled with copies of the CD and a download link, starting at just $15. He’ll be in Victoria June 16th and at Surrey Canada Day on the PPP Top 20 stage.
Check out his website for more information and to follow him on Facebook and Twitter.
