A Chat with Heather Ferguson (23.03.26)
Canadian singer-songwriter Heather Ferguson’s evocative new single ‘Broken Horned Kudu’ is a work born from her travels across East and Southern Africa. The song blends Cape Jazz, world jazz, and contemporary vocal storytelling, featuring both English and Xhosa vocals in a meditation on resilience and the fragility of life. We chat with Heather Ferguson about the creative journey behind the collaboration with leading South African musicians and the personal inspiration that shaped this cross-cultural recording, and more.
OSR: ‘Broken Horned Kudu’ uses the image of a kudu with a broken horn. What drew you to that metaphor?
Heather Ferguson: While in Botswana on safari, our guide drew our attention to an older Kudu with a broken horn. He liked to stay close to the game lodge, they said, because he felt safer there. There are lots of Kudu in the Kalahari, and I only saw this one from far off, but I could see he was big and appeared quite strong, yet he just wanted what we all want – a peaceful, productive life – and I sensed that his broken horn might put him at a disadvantage in a fight in any case.
OSR: How did your travels across East and Southern Africa influence the songwriting and arrangement?
Heather Ferguson: Each country I visited inspired questions and showed me visual scenes that stayed with me, too. The sight of a man sitting all alone on the side of the road in front of a brilliantly painted yellow and ochre streetscape – it flashed by us, but I can still see him. Or, the uncanny “Englishness” of the countries we visited led to questions about the shadow of colonialism in Africa, and I realised they were different to those questions we pose in Canada, but in some ways also the same.
OSR: Working with South African musicians, how did the collaborative process shape the final track?
Heather Ferguson: My goal in the recording sessions was simply to learn more about Cape Jazz, but when I sent the lyrics to George Werner to see what he might think, he said he had some thoughts on it and, honestly, I just followed his lead. We didn’t have too much time in Cape Town, so we recorded as much as we could down there. Once I got back to Victoria, Wynn Gogol and I spent a lot of time restructuring the tracks, checking in with George, and redoing the vocals to suit the new structure. When George, Wynn and I felt it was good, it was set up for release.
OSR: How do you balance your jazz roots with world music elements in your compositions?
Heather Ferguson: Well, jazz is pretty universal anyway, but my feeling is that I take the tools and traditions of jazz and start there. Then, I let the song take me where it wants to go. That can move the song to any genre at that point. I don’t think too much about boxing the song in. One of the songs on my second album, FOUND, is called ‘Deftly, You Leave’, and it came out a bit country! But I love that song.
OSR: What role did language play, particularly in integrating Xhosa alongside English vocals?
Heather Ferguson: I can truly say that was all George! He asked me at one point if I would like a young sax player who also sings, Esihle Valela, to add some vocals in Xhosa. Now remember, I was also there to learn and experience as much of South African music as possible, so of course I said yes! I trusted George’s thinking on this, and it worked out just great! I had been worried the song was too dark, but Esihle’s lyrics of hope, love and all the aspirations people have, provided a beautiful counterpoint.
OSR: Can you describe the emotional core of this song and what you hoped listeners would take away?
Heather Ferguson: All of us have to make choices in our lives that seem impossible, where suddenly everything we have known changes forever, and we are dealing with a new reality. For me, Africa put that message in stark terms. But I hope that, in the face of that, listeners will hear the Xhosa. Everything will be okay. We still wish to find love, health and success in our lives, and it will come if we just look for it.
OSR: How did George Werner’s direction in Cape Town influence your approach to the recording?
Heather Ferguson: It was important to me that we carried on with George’s original vision for the song, while at the same time staying true to my own creativity and process. I think we did that. WhatsApp, Zoom and email are lovely tools to stay in touch.
OSR: Did the cross-continental post-production process with Wynn Gogol present any creative challenges?
Heather Ferguson: No, although with less generous collaborators, it might have been an issue. Wynn and I have worked together for some years now, and we did for the song what we thought was right and just always made sure we took George’s notes and incorporated them into the process.
OSR: How does ‘Broken Horned Kudu’ fit into your broader artistic evolution and discography?
Heather Ferguson: Broken Horned Kudu is certainly a departure from my other work, but also a good fit too. I love to learn, and with music, it only gets better the deeper you go. I wanted to learn more about Cape Jazz, but I was open to anything that came my way, and I was lucky enough to work with musicians who understood that. ‘Broken Horned Kudu’ is the result. It’s why I love music so much. When the music is at the centre, the human spirit builds beautiful things.
OSR: What do you hope audiences feel when experiencing the interplay between vocals and ensemble instrumentation?
Heather Ferguson: In all of my music, and with all my collaborators, we talk about the interplay between three areas: lyrics and vocals, chords and melody, and ensemble instrumentation. It’s a huge part of what we do. So, I hope audiences feel the thoughtfulness behind it, the love we all put toward crafting it. They may not agree with all the choices we make, but I hope they will still appreciate the end result.
Many thanks to Heather Ferguson for speaking with us. Find out more about Heather Ferguson on her official website, Instagram and Spotify.
