Norine Braun puts the pieces of her past together as she continues her Journey Toward Wholeness on her revealing new single and video — premiering exclusively on Tinnitist.
The title track from the B.C. singer-songwriter’s latest album, Journey Toward Wholeness chronicles the recent spiritual and personal quest that found her delving deep into her life as an adoptee, exploring her Red River Metis heritage and uncovering a newfound sense of identity and belonging.
David C. Jones returns in full form on this new homespun video for the song as writer/director/editor and videographer. Using the lyrics of the track and the moving story behind the album, the video follows Norine as she assembles the puzzle of her life while she contemplates her past, the recent discovery of her birth father, and the unknowable future:
“Is different wrong how long have I been seen as other
In my skin deep within I’m on the outside of another
Ever separate disconnected like the fragments of a petal
Puzzle’s broken laughs a joke and lies are often spoke
And I ponder as I wander on this journey toward wholeness.”
Along with Braun, Journey Toward Wholeness features Adam Popowitz on bass, Elliot Polsky on drums, Alice Fraser on keyboards and Kathleen Nisbet on fiddle, with Fraser and Nisbet making cameos in the video.
Premiering exclusively on Tinnitist at the end of May, the soul-based roots-rock album Journey Toward Wholeness — supported by a grant from the First Peoples’ Cultural Council — has earned stellar reviews for delivering a rich and evocative experience, combining Braun’s heartfelt vocals with a melodic exploration of identity, heritage, and the universal voyage of self-discovery.
Early in her adult life, Braun had to reconcile the possibility of never knowing the story of her origin or ancestry. Despite this, she found comfort in the belief that somehow her ancestors knew who she was. A decade ago, a DNA test confirmed her Indigenous background but provided no clues about her father. In 2021, following the passing of her adoptive mother, Braun received a life-changing email from a cousin revealing the identity of her birth father. Not only was he alive, but he also knew of Braun and wanted to meet her. The timing was uncanny, as the discovery occurred only two days after her mother’s passing. “In between tears of grief for the loss of my mother, there was great joy at learning who I came from and my lineage,” Braun recounts.
Watch the video for Journey Toward Wholeness above, listen to (and buy) the album below, and connect with Norine Braun on her website, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
