A frequent visitor to the East Coast and an international star of Celtic music, Stratford-based musician and music entrepreneur Loreena McKennitt has announced she’s putting her career on hold to devote her time and energy to fighting the harmful effects of technology and the threat of global warming.
The self-managed singer, harpist and independent label owner has sold over 14 million records worldwide, and was a headliner at the opening night of the 2015 Celtic Colours International Festival in Cape Breton.
She first outlined her plans in a speech to the Rotary Club of Stratford in September, and stated that as a mother and citizen she’s decided to make her new goals a higher priority than her music career. Titled Facing the Music: Unintended Consequences of the Digital Age, the speech focused on the intrusion of technology on our daily lives, eroding democracy and spreading fake news, with additional negative effects on children’s mental health, education and self-esteem.
“With respect to technology, clearly I am not averse to it,” said McKennitt, who wraps up her Lost Souls Tour this weekend, after performing in South America and across Europe. “I use it every day in the operations of my career and my business and have witnessed its benefits across a range of disciplines.
“At the same time, I’m only too keenly aware of some of the unintended consequences. In the music business, we’ve seen an almost complete decimation of the ecosystem of professions, including the creative class. My little company also experienced the perils of ransomware this spring.”
McKennitt describes her decision as “long matured," having removed her Facebook profile — with 596,000 followers — in April, 2018 after learning personal data from it had been misused.
Her concern stems from the way technological advances have been allowed to proliferate with little concern for potential consequences which can outreach their benefits. “I worry that we have not learned the lessons from adopting fossil fuels wholeheartedly a century ago, only to discover decades later that they also come with great perils,” said McKennitt, who hopes to spark more democratic debate and industry regulation through her efforts.
McKennitt is a member of the Order of Canada and owner and director of Stratford’s Falstaff Family Centre educational facility. The centre is also home base for her Stolen Child Project, which addresses challenges faced by families in the midst of 21st century consumer culture.