When Romi Mayes released Small Victories in 2024, it marked her first album in nine years. The Winnipeg-based singer-songwriter has never been particularly prolific, but the long wait proved worthwhile for fans.
In 2023, Mayes dedicated a full night's material to one of her favorite songwriters, Lucinda Williams, celebrating Williams' 70th birthday. What began as a one-off hometown show expanded into a tour, including a performance at Calgary's now-closed Mikey's on 12th. Immersing herself in Williams' vast catalog sparked Mayes' own creative resurgence.
"After playing a year of her music, it was what inspired me to start writing again towards an album of my own," Mayes said in a pre-tour interview.
Small Victories: A Worthwhile Return
The 12-track Small Victories showcases Mayes' command of roots music, divided into intimate songs on Side 1 and more rocking, blues-fused numbers on Side 2. Standout tracks include the plaintive character study "When You Ask," the Americana-leaning title track, the scorching "C'mon Baby," and the slow-burning blues of "Love Ain't Free."
Mayes admits that meeting her exacting standards takes time. "It takes me a long time to find 12 songs that I really like," she said. "I went back on some stuff I'd been writing and didn't finish, and gave myself a deadline. If I hadn't, I would never have written another album."
Solo Tour Challenges
Mayes embarked on a Western Canadian tour bringing her to The Stop Coffee House in Black Diamond for a matinee on Saturday and Calgary's Ironwood Stage and Grill on Sunday evening. This rare solo tour features songs from all seven of her albums.
"I decided to challenge myself and remove all the buffers of the great guitar players I hide behind," Mayes said. "It helps me remember I can play the riffs I wrote, and it challenges the arrangements since most have great solo breaks I'm not using now."
"I just have to rely on my charm and my vocals," she added with a laugh.
Independent Spirit
Solo tours harken back to Mayes' early days busking in Toronto in the mid-1990s, where she rebuffed major-label offers aiming to mold her into the next Alanis Morissette. For 30 years, she has operated independently, developing a sharp business acumen. She recently launched Sure Shot Bookings, applying her pragmatic approach to scheduling artists for corporate, community, and private events.
