KATIE BAGGS AWARDED FIFTH-ANNUAL MUSICNL MUSICIAN-IN-RESIDENCE
| In partnership with Landfall Trust of Brigus and Genoa Design International, we are absolutely thrilled to announce Katie Baggs as our 5th Musician-in-Residence! After a competitive juried selection process and the highest volume of applications yet, St. John’s-based singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Katie Baggs has been selected as the 2025 recipient of the program. Katie will spend two weeks, from August 2 to 15, at the historic 200-year-old Kent Cottage, a Landfall Preserve and Provincial Heritage Site in Brigus, NL, surrounded by 11 acres of untamed coastline and pristine, undeveloped natural lands. Katie will use this unique opportunity for focused, creative thought to work on material for her next solo album, a follow-up to her 2024 single The Words Are Ours, and her collaborative projects, including Topanga, a folk trio with fellow award-winning singer-songwriters Valmy and Carole Bestvater. As the 2025 Musician-in-Residence, Katie will receive a place to live and work, along with a weekly stipend, as she spends time writing in one of the most inspiring areas of the province. “We are delighted to continue to offer musicians from our province this dedicated creative space, along with the time and compensation to simply retreat and focus on writing music,” says MusicNL Executive Director Tamara Kater. “There is a growing songwriting legacy in this project, as Rube & Rake, Ian Foster, Nico Paulo, and Ana Luísa Ramos have produced and recorded new work from their time as Musicians in Residence. Katie Baggs will undoubtedly add more beauty to the catalogue of music inspired by Brigus. We’re thrilled and grateful for the ongoing support of Genoa Design International and Landfall Trust of Brigus to bring this project to life.” During the residency, Katie Baggs will share her incredible talent with residents of Brigus thanks to a community outreach project led by Landfall Trust (details TBA). “Genoa is proud to support the arts in Newfoundland and Labrador, and we couldn’t be happier to contribute to MusicNL’s Musician-in-Residence program. We can’t wait to hear Katie’s new album and wish her the best as she spends time in beautiful Brigus this summer.” — Luke Joyce, Director of Communications and Marketing, Genoa Design International “Landfall Trust is honoured to welcome Katie Baggs to Kent Cottage for this year’s residency. In partnership with MusicNL, this program reflects our commitment to preserving this historic home and its surrounding natural beauty, while supporting artists with the time and space to create. We’re proud to be part of a collaboration that nurtures creativity in such a unique and storied setting.” — Ana Luísa Ramos, Board Member, Landfall Trust of Brigus “To be awarded time and space to write and create new music in beautiful Brigus feels like such a luxury — I don’t take it lightly! I am curious to find out what I can accomplish during this wonderfully long stretch of uninterrupted time. Thank you so much to MusicNL, Landfall Trust, and Genoa Design International for the opportunity.” — Katie Baggs ABOUT KATIE BAGGS Katie Baggs is a singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, mother, and educator based in St. John’s, NL. Her latest single, The Words Are Ours (August 2024), has been praised as a folk anthem and modern protest song for the times—one that will be remembered in the Newfoundland and Labrador musical canon for years to come. Katie performs her original songs as a solo artist and as a member of folk trio Topanga (with fellow singer-songwriters Valmy and Carole Bestvater). Topanga had an exciting year of rehearsals and performances, culminating in a deeply resonant set at Lawnya Vawnya in June 2025, where they opened for internationally celebrated artists Beverly and Elizabeth Glenn-Copeland to glowing reviews. One of Katie’s most beloved songs, Mountain Train—from her 2012 MusicNL award-winning album Home Again, Home Again—was arranged by tradition bearer, singer, guitarist and arranger Jean Hewson for choral performance in 2023. It has been featured in concerts by the Soundbone Folk Choir and included in programming at Vinland Music Camp. Over the years, Katie has collaborated with a wide range of musicians, songwriters, and interdisciplinary artists. Her first original songs appeared on the 2008 self-titled album by the folk group Dead Language. Since then, she has continued to write and perform across Newfoundland and Canada, both as a solo artist and as part of numerous group projects. Alongside her career in early childhood education, co-owning a small business, and raising two young children, Katie has remained a vital presence in the Newfoundland & Labrador music scene—constantly creating, collaborating, and sharing her voice through song. For more information about Katie Baggs please visit: https://katiebaggs.bandcamp.com/music https://music.apple.com/ca/artist/katie-baggs/501159561 https://www.instagram.com/katie.baggs/ https://www.facebook.com/katiebaggsmusic |