IN CONCERT
What: Allison Crowe's
Tidings concert
When: Tuesday, 8 p.m.
Where: Alix Goolden Hall,
907 Pandora Ave.
Tickets: Advance $20, $15 (Lyle's Place, The Patch). Door $22, $17
Allison Crowe believes she's poised on one of the biggest breaks of her career.
The problem is, she can't talk about it. Well, not much.
Two of Crowe's recorded songs, Me and Bobbie McGee and Hallelujah, will be included in "a major motion picture coming out in early 2009," the Nanaimo-raised singer-songwriter said this week.
She said the movie is studded with big stars. She said it'll be a huge career boost for her. But beyond that, Crowe is sworn to secrecy.
"I can't wait to talk about it, personally," she said. "And the really cool part about it is I'm [an] independent [artist], so the fact I'm even considered is pretty amazing."
It's true that Crowe -- performing a solo Christmas concert at Alix Goolden Hall next week -- isn't signed to a big label. But the 27-year-old has had tangible success on her own, using the Internet as a powerful ally.
For instance, her performance of Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah has had more than 2.6 million hits on YouTube. Total viewership for her various YouTube clips is approaching four million.
Word on the web led to Crowe being included on a compilation CD contained in the December edition of MOJO, the international music magazine. Her version of Joan of Arc, also written by Cohen, joins a collection of Cohen covers sung by such artists as Nick Cave, Martha Wainwright and Judy Collins.
She recorded Joan of Arc in the living room of her parents' Nanaimo home in 2004.
Crowe -- now based in Corner Brook, Nfld. -- was in New York City this week to record an instrumental, also to be included on the top-secret movie soundtrack. On Sunday she performed at Manhattan's Laurie Beechman Theatre.
Her upcoming Tidings concerts are an annual event in this city (Crowe's Vancouver Island jaunt also takes her to Campbell River tonight and Nanaimo Saturday night).
She'll play carols, cover tunes and her original compositions, including a new piece, Dearly.
Although primarily a singer-pianist, Crowe will perform some songs on the guitar.
This year has been busy. Crowe spent half her time touring, hitting Beatles Week 2008 in Liverpool and performing in France, Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic and Scotland.
Her manager, Adrian du Plessis, said Crowe is building a "growing and devoted audience" in Paris, Frankfurt and Vienna.
While she was in Liverpool, BBC Radio 2 recorded Crowe's Hallelujah and interviewed her for a documentary on the song that aired Nov. 1. (Hallelujah was also covered by such artists as John Cale, Jeff Buckley and Rufus Wainwright.)
Crowe said more tours of ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½ and the U.S. are in store for 2009.
"It's good, but it's crazy, though," she said with a laugh. "By the time I'm done touring, I'm ready to go home. And by the time I've been home for a while, I'm ready to tour."
