When singer-songwriter Abe Drennan released his album Iglu Sessions in August, it was an overdue end to an unexpected journey.

The local teacher started writing four years ago, believing it would be a six-month stint to create the album when he applied for NWT Arts Council funding. Roughly four months in, he realized the songs werenSA国际影视传媒檛 ready.

SA国际影视传媒淔our years later I got it done,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淚 had to go back to the drawing board.SA国际影视传媒�

Drennan said the music lacked perspective. He believes he found it in tips from local musicians and his producer, which offered some guidance that made him revisit his ideas.

SA国际影视传媒淭here were things in the songs that I had just accepted as being SA国际影视传媒榦kay,SA国际影视传媒橲A国际影视传媒� Drennan said.

Once these moments came to his attention, he realized they fell short of perfection. He felt he was moving forward in the process without being able to confidently say these songs were ready. He dived back into the albumSA国际影视传媒檚 song writing, asking himself what exactly he wanted to say.

It could be frustrating.

SA国际影视传媒�(There was) a lot of feeling I wasnSA国际影视传媒檛 ready,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淚t was bit of a blow actually. Like, SA国际影视传媒� I really have to push myself here.SA国际影视传媒�

It was one of the most challenging things heSA国际影视传媒檇 ever done musically.

SA国际影视传媒淚t just pushed my boundaries. And ultimately it ended up stretching me in ways I never could have imagined,SA国际影视传媒� Drennan said. SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檓 so grateful I could have that support around me to produce the songs I did.SA国际影视传媒�

Eventually, granted he would never think the songs were entirely perfect, they were at a point where he was comfortable sharing them.

The songwriting behind them was a vulnerable process, where he attempted to identify his feelings and emotions authentically, without having it SA国际影视传媒渕asked,SA国际影视传媒� he said. For him, that also had to be balanced with accessible, enjoyable music.

Honest feedback from the people around him helped ground this process. He said at points he was frustrated because he didnSA国际影视传媒檛 want to hear praise, but wanted clearer sounding boards.

SA国际影视传媒淒onSA国际影视传媒檛 tell me what I want to hear,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淚 donSA国际影视传媒檛 care, you can offend me. ISA国际影视传媒檓 not going to waste my time on a message or a song, if it doesnSA国际影视传媒檛 have, for me anyways, something thatSA国际影视传媒檚 going to stir my heart,SA国际影视传媒� Drennan said.

For him, songwriting has always been a therapy. He first discovered this in his 20s, when he found the creative process could allow him to express his emotions without bottling them.

In the album, that often takes the form of Drennan presenting an issue or challenge and working to a more hopeful resolution through folky songwriting and confessional lyrics.

That took on added resonance when DrennanSA国际影视传媒檚 life as a teacher intersected with his music. His Grade 6 class at the time wrote the album-closer, SA国际影视传媒淭here for you,SA国际影视传媒� and recorded it as a choir in Iglu Church. He promised them it would appear on the album, and it became SA国际影视传媒渁 natural fitSA国际影视传媒� to finish the record, he said.

Using a portable studio, all the rough tracks were recorded in the church, earning the album its name. Drennan kept the setup simple: one mic placed as high as he could get it to capture the SA国际影视传媒渟pace sound,SA国际影视传媒� which is a resounding reverb that reappears through the record; and a second mic more intimately set near the vocal or instrument.

After all of this, it was SA国际影视传媒渟urrealSA国际影视传媒� when he finally released the album in August.

SA国际影视传媒淚 had heard the album so many times. I had done so much work on it. I was so ready to be done,SA国际影视传媒� Drennan said. SA国际影视传媒淚t was relief, it was joy, so much stuff mixed in there. But ultimately gratitude. What got me most was how so many people were willing to give their time and perspective and all I had to do was ask.SA国际影视传媒�