Milner set for Valentine’s debut

Valentine's Day on the Canada Winter Games entertainment schedule is a torrent of red.

First, at the free stage at the Canada Games Plaza, Prince George's most acclaimed musical redhead, Naomi Kavka, opens the festivities with the help of her creative partner Corbin Spensley in the act they call Power Duo.

After that, one of Canada's most famous redheads makes her Prince George debut. Ali Milner is a solo performer and actor who came top three in the CBC performance competition show Cover Me Canada. She is the co-founder and front-voice of the poptronica band Willa that sparks the crowd just before the main headliner.

What could be more perfect for Valentine's Day than one of Canada's leading musical power-couples Danielle and Drew McTaggart? And with their band Dear Rouge - another crimson connection - it pushes all the cupid buttons for those who love to party into the night. (Fun fact: Dear Rouge is named for Red Deer, Danielle's hometown, and the city that will host the Canada Winter Games in 2019.)

This is Milner's first experience with P.G. love. Even though she's a Whistler girl, her bright musical arch hasn't brought her to the northern interior until now.

"The Games, plus Valentine's Day, it's going to be lovely," she said.

Those who haven't seen her Willa project are in for cutting-edge urban synth-pop. It's a deft fit for the Dear Rouge show to follow hers, and a complete departure for those used to Milner's solo material.

"It's my musical future," said Milner just prior to her arrival in P.G. "It had been a few years since I'd released music and to be honest I'd grown out of that sound. My tastes evolved into more experimental soundscapes. And I love hip hop and I love pop, but I'd never thought to make any of it myself but when I started working with Ryan Guldemond (one of the primary creative forces in the band Mother Mother) we just stumbled upon making it, and fell down the rabbit hole. This is the most 'me' my music has ever been so it's really exciting."

Milner said a substantial growth happened for her, personally, by getting to participate in the reality TV show Cover Me Canada on CBC, where new artists did rebooted versions of classic Canadian songs, in competitive fashion. Milner got to duet with Gino Vannelli on his hit I Just Wanna Stop, she got to sing a ska version of Put Your Head On My Shoulder with Paul Anka looking on, and a highlight was singing Black Velvet alongside Alannah Myles.

"It was spectacular," said Milner, remembering the legendary chanteuse belting out the iconic blues-rock anthem despite Myles being wheelchair-bound by then.

Willa has only been hatched for the past six months or so, but the album is getting rave reviews and the first video for the song Stay The Night was just added to heavy rotation on MuchMusic.