Last night Winnipeg artists Rayannah was Neil Coligan's guest on the show. She is headlining this weekend's latest Nu Sounds Series from Jazz Winnipeg.

The concert is called Rayannah: The Pedal Project. It began as the single voice of Rayannah, layering itself and creating music from scratch. The result can be sparse and full of silence, or a dense wall of sound. Singing into a loop pedal for the first time in 2011, the young artist quickly dove into the new medium, experimenting with beat boxing, synths and percussion. Alongside these instruments is the voice, which takes on different shades while painting the background, keeping time, and floating on the melody. Rayannah has since taken her pedals to Toronto and Montreal, and launched her European debut in French cities Lille and Paris.

Her pedal work grows out of her studies at the University of Manitoba jazz program, particularly in its rhythmic elements and improvisation. Originally adapting well-known jazz standards, R&B hits and folk songs for her unusual instrumentation, Rayannah has found a new drive in writing original music. Her visceral lyrics, both French and English, pull from all corners of her experiences whether dark or sweet. For her Nu Sounds performance, Rayannah will share the stage with a group of musicians, allowing new inspiration for the single voice of The Pedal Project.

Rayannah is performing Sunday night at The Park Theatre as part of Jazz Winnipeg's Nu Sound Series. Showtime is 8:00 PM. Tickets are $15 at th door or $12 in advance.

Listen to Neil Coligan's interview with Rayannah.