I left the Canadian prairies many years ago, but they remain my home. How do you feel about that part of western Canada, where the prairies meet the Rocky mountains , which shaped us both ? What does Alberta mean to you now? NicholasLittle
All of my artistic preferences were formed by the minimalism of the prairies, by the affordable space and the stillness. There weren’t many things around, so a field with bales would be this incredibly graphic moment, or a tree or a certain hill – very small increments of beauty placed in vast amounts of space. The sky was very important and a feeling of – I wouldn’t say loneliness, but solace, perhaps. That’s my bottom line, my basic instinct. It’s the frame that that informs all of my art, the way I decorate my house, the way I sing, the way I dress. That sort of minimalist nature is embedded in me.
Many people can sing a song well, but you’re a vocalist who emotes raw vulnerability. Do you work like a method actor – entering, or reliving, the reality of the song during the practice period? verdantearth
I try to sink myself into the lyrics for sure. I try to create visuals, sort of an emotional internal movie of what the lyrics possess, to relive it emotionally. With [Case/Lang/Veirs track] Honey and Smoke, for example, I imagine watching somebody I’m in love with dancing with somebody else and feeling jealousy.
How proud are you of that infamous Vanity Fair cover shoot [in which Cindy Crawford “shaves” kd in a barber’s chair]? Trumansdad
Very. I was friends with Herb [Ritts] and somehow I got the opportunity to do the Vanity Fair cover, and he was shooting it. I was obsessed with a French movie called The Hairdresser’s Husband at the time. I have kind of an obsession with cutting hair and barber shops. I don’t know where that came from – actually, I just realised why, and I’ve never told anyone this! My dad’s drugstore in the really small town I grew up in – the next business over was a barber shop, so I used to watch the barber cutting hair all the time. It must be some sort of childhood visualisation imprint or something. I suggested to Herb, maybe we can do it in a barber’s chair. He phoned me a few days later and said, “I have Cindy Crawford.” I was like, “OK!” We shot it on the roof of his building in downtown Hollywood, up on the roof at golden hour. It was magical. Cindy was super professional, as you can imagine. She’s a model, so it was her realm. I was trying to behave and not be an idiot. It was incredible, and I knew that it had a certain gravity to it. After all these years, I feel like we made a piece of art and a significant social statement, and I really have such pride about it.
LS: You have a very cheeky look on your face on the cover.
Could you name some of your favourite visual artists and explain why you love them? Do you own art? Simother
I can’t afford to be a collector, but I’m certainly a fan. I love everything; some of my favourite painters are Franz Kline , because I love the confidence with which he painted, and Agnes Martin because I love patterns and simplicity. She’s also from Alberta. I really gravitate towards abstract expressionism just because I love that the emotion is driving it. That’s how I relate to art, emotionally rather than intellectually.
Looking back 10 years on, what do you remember most about Case/Lang/Veirs? And would you be tempted to work with Neko Case and Laura Veirs again if the stars aligned? VerulamiumParkRanger
I remember how excited I was when I had the idea to collaborate with them. When I texted them, they both answered within half an hour. And then the work began. I remember it being quite difficult in terms of having three major artists, who had been bosses their whole lives, coming together – we had to navigate and reformulate how we worked, the structure of writing and creativity. They’re both incredible songwriters. I’m in awe of their songwriting ability, and I had to stay out of the way because I felt like they were so much more prolific than I was. We ended up being real good friends, and we had an exciting but short tour.
What was it like being part of the Vancouver music scene and performing at the Railway Club in the 80s ? budthespud
You must be a Canadian. The Railway Club and the Savoy Club in Vancouver were extremely important to my career. They were both really great small alternative independent music venues. The person who booked the music, Janet Forsyth, booked me very early, and the buzz started happening. It was an incredibly vibrant and buzzy time for me. The shows were extremely formative because I was trying out a lot of different material, learning how to be a stage performer. To this day, Janet Forsyth is my best friend.
What was it like to be a part of the Pee-wee’s Playhouse Christmas Special (AKA the greatest, gayest Christmas special ever made)? My little brother and I have watched it together every year since 1988! AlexisHidell
It was amazing – it was magical because it was so unbridled. I just sang a Christmas carol – it was all carols, but he had really contrasting artists like Grace Jones and Doris Day. It was like he had all these different kites and he was flying them all at once. You could do whatever you wanted and it was joyful and wise and sardonic – it contained everything. It’s not unlike the paintings we were talking about: it’s emotional expression without any constraints, artistic freedom. Paul [Reubens, AKA Pee-wee Herman] and I became friends. I loved the documentary Matt Wolf made on him . Paul was serious and very deliberate.
Would you ever consider a follow-up to [lang’s 2004 album of cover versions] Hymns of the 49th Parallel ? Hearing Canadian music treated with that kind of deep respect and understanding – the individual songs and the way they exist in conversation with each other – changed something for a lot of people, I think. MarnaNightingale
I have been asked that by my record company and my manager, but I really try to honour my muse and my instincts. It hasn’t happened yet, but maybe it will. Certainly the material is there. There’s an embarrassment of riches of great Canadian songwriting.
Related: kd lang on Tony Bennett: ‘It was a salve for society to see an older man and a young dyke in a happy relationship’
What was it like appearing on the Larry Sanders show? CaptainLib
It was fun. He was a beautiful guy. [The show was] an intense niche to be put into because they have their own vernacular and rhythm and way of being. I tried to inhabit my own space with it and be natural, but man, the energy there was kind of like being placed in the middle of a football game, and somebody’s vacuuming naked … I don’t totally remember what happened.
You’ve described your connection with Patsy Cline as “otherworldly”. What is it about her – and the emotional landscapes of songs such as Leavin’ on Your Mind – that gives her such enduring appeal? Bopalena_now_Johnny
The emotional connection is inexplicable. Emotion is something ethereal and indescribable. Patsy contained an empathy, an earthiness, a vulnerability, a sense of humour – all the essential parts of humanity. She just sang from an open place, and let people feel comfortable immersing themselves in her.
The accordion is prominent not just in the beautiful Constant Craving but in multiple other recordings of yours. Can you tell us more about your accordionist, Teddy Borowiecki, and do you have a particular fascination with this instrument? BirtyDankers
It was around in my upbringing because in the Canadian prairies there were a lot of German and Polish eastern Europeans who had migrated to Canada, so it was prevalent in dance bands and so forth. And Teddy, who is Polish, was a very good accordion player, so I wanted to utilise his talent.
What can you share about your meditation practice, and how it has affected you, the living of your life, and your music? Sillyputty
My spiritual practice is inseparable from anything I do, and is of utmost importance. It’s taken precedence over all things in my life. So I don’t even know where to start or how to describe it. It’s given me a different point of reference that has anchored me in motivation and purpose. Just taking my contribution to the universe very seriously – not self-righteously, but the desire to be authentic and uncontrived.
• The 10th anniversary edition of Case/Lang/Veirs is released via Anti- on 4 September
All of my artistic preferences were formed by the minimalism of the prairies, by the affordable space and the stillness. There weren’t many things around, so a field with bales would be this incredibly graphic moment, or a tree or a certain hill – very small increments of beauty placed in vast amounts of space. The sky was very important and a feeling of – I wouldn’t say loneliness, but solace, perhaps. That’s my bottom line, my basic instinct. It’s the frame that that informs all of my art, the way I decorate my house, the way I sing, the way I dress. That sort of minimalist nature is embedded in me.
This report is published with credit to The Guardian. Full available text from the wire is above. Read on The Guardian →
Source: The Guardian · As told to Laura Snapes. Published 3 Sept 2026, 02:00 pm.
