-Folk Punk Diva Tanya Janca was nominated "Best Singer Songwriter" at the 2004 Golden Cherry awards, and her album From Blunt and Obnoxious to Soft and Sweet... came in #2 on Chart Attack and #14 on CKCU in early April! Currently Tanya Janca performs both as the solo artist "Tanya Janca", as well as part of the rock band Problematic. As a self-taught guitarist/singer/songwriter she has an original flare. For the past 5 years TanyaJ has been playing in bars and small festivals around the Ottawa area. I've been aware of Tanya's work over past year and I've had the privilege to meet Tanya at a Lady Fest meeting. We traded C.D.'s, and her song "Bush can eat my Bush" will appear on the Ottawa Underground comp in Sept 2004. I like Tanya's work so much, I requested an interview, and she graciously accepted.

Jason: Tell me Tanya, what were your first musical influences? When did you start playing music? Why did you start playing music? Describe what it was like to play your first show. 

Tanya: I started listening to mostly grunge music, and I still really like it.I bought my first guitar at a garage sale for $7.50 when I was 14, and startedlearning as best as I could. When I was 16, something clicked, I could play all of the songs by Hole and Nirvana. Then, against my better judgement, I agreed to sing and play guitar for an all-girl band named "Naked Pregnancy". We went no where, but for me the seed was there.  I think I started playing music because I had decided not to become an actress (although I was given the dramatic arts award when I graduated high school and hadbeen offered acceptance to study at Ottawa U without an audition). I made that decision when I realized that acting was more about how beautiful you were and how great of a body you had rather than your level of skill (more so for women than for men). With music looks still count, but talent, style, and original flare count equally. I felt I could be more creative and receive more attention as a musician, and I think that I have. Playing my first solo show made me want to pee my pants in fright, but it made me proud at the same time. Someone once told me I would never get a show as a solo girl with a guitar, that I had to have a band. We both applied for the The Nepean Student Showcase and his band did not get in, but I did! It made me feel very proud of myself. I hate having people say that I “can't" do something. I figure I can do almost everything.

Jason: What was your best experience playing a show? What was your most embarrassing experience playing a show?

Tanya: My best experience was one of three evenings...  I played at Rooster'sat Carleton a few years ago and had some people singing along and screaming"encore" after I had finished until I was literally  pushed back on to the stage and told to perform another song by the stage manager 'or else'. They just kept yelling and yelling. I had played every song I could think of already...  I was very flattered. Another best time was at my recent CD release. There were so many people there that the barfilled up, and even though it was pouring rain, people kept showing up. A woman named Katie went on and on about how much she loved me and I told her she was the reason I played shows. Lastly, I got off stage once and a guy climbed up onto the stage, on his hands and knees, grabbed my hands and kissed them and proposed to me. It was one of the few times that I didn't know what to say. For your second question, I don't get embarrassed like a normal person, so I can't say that I've had an embarrassing moment onstage before... [Editorial Note: Most people I know would consider a marriage proposal on stage to be slightly embarssing - but not Tanya].

Jason: Tanya, are those your feet on your demo cover? I notice that on your websiteunder links, the caption of the links photo says "the cutest feet ever". Has anyone bought your demo album and openly admitting they had a foot fetish or said they really like your feet?

Tanya: Those ARE my feet, and I have had TWO people buy my CD admitting that they had foot fetishes, one of which I became friends with and I ended up performing (oh my gosh!) at the Fringe Festival SHOELESS!!!! I even put that in mypress release, "Tanya Janca to perform BARE FOOT at Fringe!", although I don't think anyone else 'got it'.  The guy was very happy. Actually, I hate wearing shoes and would prefer to perform barefoot, so if it's warm enough, sometimes I will do it. 

Jason: How did you get your music featured in the independent film "Upgraded" directed by Chris Gordon.

Tanya: The part of "Jamie", the lead role, was VERY loosely based on me, and I was originally supposed to play her in the film.  Due to all sorts of things beyond my control, I couldn't be there for filming, so they hired a "professional" actress instead (Whom I am told did an amazing job). They are planning to use one of my songs for "the love scene" and I am very pleased about that. They also gave me a very small part, "Joanne", where I don't say anything, but I don't mind a bit. I was flattered they included me with so many very talented people clambering to get into the film.

Jason: What are your feelings about George Bush? What inspired you to write the song "Bush can eat my bush"? (Download a sound byte at the bottom of this page).

Tanya: Oh-oh. I'm not sure you want to open that can of worms...  I feelthat he has misled his country, and since his country is the most powerful and influential country in the world they have been influencing other countries (bullying other countries) into doing all sorts of things that I don't believe they want to do and that I don't believe are right. He has waged two wars and it hasn't even been 4 years yet, both of which are no where near complete and the people in these countries and American soldiers are paying the price... From his "gag rule", to not giving international aid to agencies that offer abortion as a family planning option, to tax breaks for the rich, I believe he has done much more harm than good, for the entire world, not just his own country. I think I'll stop there.

Jason: "From Blunt and Obnoxious to Soft and Sweet..." came in #2 on Chart Attackand #14 on the CKCU in early April. Describe what that means to you?

Tanya: I'm so excited! My last album was an accident, I meant it to be a bar demoonly, but people kept buying it until I had sold 300 copies and figured "Hey, maybe I should put out a real album". This one I worked on along time, and had many complications with recording it at 2 different studios, raising funds, etc. So finishing it and then having it do well was very important for me. Radio stations are still requesting copies, I sent one to Australia earlier this week, and a few to Europe. So far the media has about 60 copies of it, and I'm still going to the post office every weekend with CD's... I am very happy.

Jason: Who is your favourite local band or artist (besides Problematic). Tell me what you like about them. 

Tanya: I'm only aloud to pick one??? That's not fair!  I could probably narrow it to 10 or so....  Basically, there are a lot of talentedfolk-y ladies and a lot of hard rockin' men in Ottawa that I am big fans of (I try to play both sides of the tables)  Leslie Dishslayer,Oni The Haitian Sensation, Melissa Laveaux, Redwood Central, The Erin Smith Band (Toronto) - I love that soft sweet acoustic sound. AAnd for louder stuffI love the dirty antics of Jake Lovetart and Dynasty, David & Michaud, The Grey, okay I have to stop! I love bands that rock out really hard and aggressively, are really dirty, or are very heart felt and loving-sounding, so I guess I like each of these bands for one or more of those reasons.... 

Jason: How did you get involved with Lady Fest, what does lady Fest mean to you? In regards to your music, have you faced sexism? Tell me about it.

Tanya: I saw an article in the Xpress about Lady Fest saying they wanted ladies to perform (I had NEVER seen something saying that before). I called and they said come to a meeting, and I gave them a press kit and they looked so sad. I said "What?  Do you need more? Am I not what you were expecting?" and they said they thought I was going to perform and JOIN them. So I did. It has been tons of fun and I have made many new friends that way. I suggest it to anyone who wants to meet people, male or female, they are such a friendly bunch! [Editor's note: They sure are a fun bunch]. I have faced a bit of sexism, from people assuming I can't play well, or that I would be performing quiet stuff, or overhearing things like "I hear there is a GIRL in one of the bands, like, she's not someone's girlfriend, apparently she plays GUITAR!". I've been called "hunny" and asked "Do you know what sound check is? Will you be okay up there?"  I usually tell them to shut up and watch, I am a very confident woman.  It's annoying, but at least no one is asking me to join their band "only if you wear sexy outfits on stage" anymore, I used to be asked things like that.  I think, some how, people get this "vibe" off of me that they had better not screw with me or some thing... For some reason a lot of things that happen to other women just don't happen to me. I guess sometimes people can tell when someone just won't put up with the crap they were hoping to give...

Jason: Are you a spiritual person or an atheist?

Tanya: Atheist. Although, spiritual is all how you define it, I have a set of rules of right and wrong that I try to follow (and I do well at it). I tryto live my life by my rules and let others set their own.  I think that if you are not hurting anyone else, then do (basically) whatever you want to do. I try to be supportive of people who want to be religious themselves, as long as they do not try to impose any of it on me, or hurt anyone else in the process.

Jason: What are your future musical and artistic goals?

Tanya: I hope to record at least one more album (so many songs, so little time),and produce the whole thing and record it myself, we'll see how THAT goes. Also, I hope to do a tour with more than one or two stops on it for once aswell. These are realistic goals I figure. Oh, and I hope to get a great, big, fat check from Socan for all the wonderful play my CD's been getting!