Geneviève Toupin, better known by her alter ego Willows, was born and raised in a French-speaking region of Manitoba, Canada and now lives in Montreal. Her songwriting is influenced by her attachment to the land she grew up on and her Franco-Métis roots. She notes, “My Métis heritage is a part of me and influences the way I see the world. I think this comes through in the songs I write, in the melodies and arrangements. I like there to be a certain amount of space/vastness in my song arrangements, which I think comes from growing up on the prairies.” Willow’s latest album, Maison vent, is a beautiful collection of songs dedicated to the inspirational women in her life.

On “Oh Marie,” Willows sings of the loneliness and struggles of rural life on the Canadian prairies, “Oh Marie / Tomorrow comes too soon / Barely enough time to take a little rest / So much effort for so little money / Small harvest / And dust everywhere.”