NORTH AMERICAN TOUR DATES CONTINUE JAN 23 - FULL DATES BELOW
DEBUT LP, FEAR, NAMED TO BEST OF 2019 LISTS BY EXCLAIM!, CBC MUSIC, AND DOMINIONATED
WATCH CBC’S FIRST PLAY LIVE HERE
FEAR, OUT NOW VIA REX BABY RECORDS / THE ORCHARD
“With its twin-helix bind of sharp pop and warm soul, Fear positions Winnipeg's Begonia (Alexa Dirks) as a powerhouse on the Prairies.” - Exclaim!
“Fear is the opposite of all its name implies: confident, bold, and blossoming with subtlety and intelligence.” - Dominionated
“...Fear still manages to make you feel like you've been let in on pop's best-kept secret. But, not for long. 2019 might have refreshed our memory of Dirks' vast capabilities, but 2020 will hopefully deliver her the global recognition she deserves.” - CBC Music
Photo Credit : Maya Fuhr // DOWNLOAD HIGH-RES
For Begonia, 2019 was full of highlights. Her debut album, Fear, was chosen as one of Exclaim!’s Most Underrated Albums of the Year, made end of the year lists from CBC Music and Dominionated, saw both “Beats” and “Hanging On A Line” named as CBC Music Top 20 Fan Favourites of the year, and spent 10 straight weeks as the #1 album in the country on Earshot’s Top 50 chart.
In 2020, Begonia will take Fear on the road for a run of North American tour dates across Canada and throughout the US beginning January 23. Full tour dates can be found below.
WATCH CBC’S FIRST PLAY LIVE HERE
MORE ABOUT FEAR
As Begonia, Alexa Dirks is bold, brazen with her florid, surprising pop that is tempered with sensitivity and wisdom. On the LP, Begonia leans hard into a sense of arrival. She wrote and co-produced the record with a familiar team of Matt Schellenberg (Royal Canoe) and Matt Peters (Royal Canoe) along with Marcus Paquin (The National, Arcade Fire, Local Natives).
Whether it’s learning to come into her own or processing a brutal heartbreak, Dirks’ intimate lyrics and audacious sound allows for her audience to relate to the messiness of life with an honesty that is refreshing.
Dirks' first solo EP, Lady in Mind, was well-received, being listed on NPR’s 10 Artists You Need To Know in 2017 and single “Juniper” reached #1 on the CBC Radio 2 Top 20. Noisey wrote that, “Begonia has one of Canada’s most extraordinary voices, and thankfully she uses it to obliterate the misery from this world one live performance at a time.” NPR wrote that Begonia is “the place where where synth-pop meets old soul and scrappy meets sexy."
TOUR DATES
Jan 23 - Regina, SK - Winterruption Festival
Jan 24 - Saskatoon, SK - Winterruption Festival
Jan 25 - Edmonton, AB - Winterruption Festival
Jan 26 - Calgary, AB - The Palomino
Jan 29 - Penticton, BC - The Dream Cafe
Jan 30 - Chillwack, BC - Tractorgrease Cafe
Jan 31 - Burnaby, BC - James Cowan Theatre
Feb 1 - Vancouver BC - Fox Theatre
Feb 2 - Victoria, BC - Lucky Bar
Feb 4 - Seattle, WA - Sunset Tavern
Feb 5 - Portland, OR - Bunk Bar
Feb 7 - San Francisco, CA - Milk Bar
Feb 8 - Los Angeles, CA - The Hi Hat
Feb 9 - San Diego, CA - Soda Bar
Feb 22 - Winnipeg, MB - West End Cultural Centre (SOLD OUT)
Feb 27 - Winnipeg, MB - West End Cultural Centre (SOLD OUT)
Feb 28 - Winnipeg, MB - West End Cultural Centre (SOLD OUT)
Feb 29 - Winnipeg, MB - West End Cultural Centre (SOLD OUT)
Mar 5 - Fargo, ND - The Aquarium
Mar 6 - Minneapolis, MN - 7th St Entry
Mar 7 - Chicago, IL - Schubas
Mar 9 - Hamilton, ON - Mill’s Hardware
Mar 11 - Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON - Silversmith Brewing Company
Mar 13 - New York, NY - New Colossus Festival
Mar 14 - New York, NY - New Colossus Festival
Mar 15 - Philadelphia, PA - Milkboy
MORE PRAISE FOR BEGONIA
“...searing and dignified” - NPR Music
"...a complex, powerhouse synth-soul that hangs on one of Canada’s most extraordinary voices." - Line Of Best Fit
“The woman has, you would say, presence to spare. When she opens her mouth to sing it's like, ‘What just happened?’” - Exclaim!
"an audacious adventure in modern soul, with gospel inspirations and updated takes on finger-snapping Motown pop and late 20th-century R&B." - Globe & Mail
“With her showstopping voice, Dirks blends acoustics and synths for her own brand of gospel.” - CBC Music