Butterfly winging way across country for first tour
by Amanda Leduc
se news editor

   From the Australian outback, she came with guitar in hand—now Butterfly Boucher is making her way across the United States in her first major American tour, opening for Bare Naked Ladies.
   Boucher recently played at Nokia Live (formerly Nextstage). The Aussie solo act turned the 6,000-seat venue into a quaint coffee house or local bar for her 25-minute set.
   “This is my first major U.S. tour. I did a couple of showcases in New York and L.A., but this is the first major tour, and it’s been good,” she said.
Boucher came on stage jesting with audience members, who enthusiastically and repeatedly complimented her pants the moment she came into sight.
   “Thank you, but I will take them off right now if they’re going to distract you from the music,” she said.
   Similar to her debut album Flutterby (A&M Records), Boucher’s performance was edgy but down to earth.
   Raised by nomadic artisans, Boucher said music has been a large part of her life.
   “I’ve been doing music ever since I was born. I’ve been playing seriously, professionally, since I was about 10,” she said.
   Boucher started small in the music world, doing session work for different albums and recording artists.
   “I did that for years and years, and then I joined a band when I was about 15. I was in that band about seven years,” she said.
   The Mercy Bell was Boucher’s older sister’s band. Boucher supported her sister with bass and back-up vocals.
   The band was a starting point for Boucher and Flutterby.
   Another White Dash is a piece Boucher started working on while still with her sister’s band, and the song was carried over to the album.
   Boucher also plans to release Another White Dash as her first single.
   During the set, Boucher said the combination of excitement and fright that came over her when she made the decision to go solo prompted the writing of Life is Short, a poppy track about taking chances.
   Esquire magazine reviewed Boucher’s album in its January issue commenting that while Boucher is easily grouped with female solo artists, such as Fiona Apple, her album very well may be Grammy worthy.
   “Obviously, I would be very flattered if it came to that, you know? I have been doing this since I was little, so of course I watch the television and dream of being on the Grammys, but I don’t know; we’ll see,” she said.
   Whether Boucher receives a Grammy next year, she can be proud of her album, which she helped produced.
   She plays almost every instrument on the tracks.
   “I hit some bookshelves and things, and they made it on the album. Mainly, I play bass, drums, guitar and keyboard,” she said.
   The multi-instrumentalist has hopes of someday expanding her talents even further and truly wants to learn to play the violin or French horn.
   “I have always wanted to play the French horn. I can play a little bit of French horn, but I wish I could play it really well. It’s not one of those instruments people just have lying around,” she said.
   Boucher is not going to have much time to learn new instruments this year; she already is planning to return to Texas this summer on the Sarah McLachlin tour.
   “She [McLachlin] is one of those nice famous people, you know? She is an inspiration in that way; I hope if I am ever in her situation I am just as honest and genuine,” she said.
   Touring two seasons in a row is difficult for most new artists, but Boucher has an advantage; she was raised traveling.
   “The hardest thing is probably leaving people behind and moving away from loved ones and family to go on the road,” she said.
   “I am so used to that. I don’t have that extra emotion to carry. I do miss people, but I have e-mail, and if I want, I can call them up,” she said.
   When Boucher finishes touring, she wants to go back into the studio.
   “I just hope people enjoy the album and buy it so I can make the next one,” she said.
   For more information on Boucher, visit her Web site at www.butterflyboucher.com.