Edie Daponte grew up singing but her ambitions were put to one side when she embarked on a corporate career. With trepidation, she decided to return to singing as she approached 50 years of age. She has now sung for the last decade.
“I was scared at the start, I didn’t have any expectations and I just took it one step at a time,” she said. “A lot of people my age and older are embracing music again.”
Although Daponte’s music is enjoyed by many different ages, her core audience seem to be people over the age of 50. When asked how she feels inspiring people over 50, Daponte was humble.
“You can choose to accomplish anything that brings you joy if you’re willing to put in the hard work and take the first step. It’s never too late for people to follow their passion. Inspiring people is the most important thing to me.”
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The Sidney singer embarks on a B.C.-wide tour Feb. 3 with her repertoire that includes jazz, bossa nova, fado and blues. She has sold-out shows over the last two years and enjoys a passionate local following.
Daponte, who is the house singer at the Beacon Landing Restaurant, sings in four different languages and can be seen performing at a range of venues on the Saanich Peninsula.
The Vancouver Island Music Awards awarded Daponte with the Jazz Recording of the Year prize in 2017 for her original song Island Rain.
As the song suggests, Daponte places a high value on her roots and the support she receives from the local community. She finds her greatest inspirations come from her life in Sidney as well as her parents’ roots in the portuguese island of Madeira. She says this sense of place informs her connection with the music.
“It’s important to sing songs that resonate, so the emotional connection is genuine. You sing what is genuine to you, not what is popular at that moment. That authenticity is what makes the audience really feel it.”
Daponte’s tour schedule starts with an intimate gig at St. Phillip Anglican Church on Feb. 3.
Daponte launches an album at Hermann’s Jazz Club on March 1. Two readers can win a pair of tickets and copies of her most recent albums ‘Young at Heart’ and ‘Alegria’.
