Country duo from North Dumfries, Ont. make their big American debut
A Canadian country duo from North Dumfries, Ont. played in front of a worldwide audience on Tuesday night.
Siblings Jenna and Stuart Walker, better known as The Reklaws, performed their new single on the TV show America’s Got Talent.
“It kind of fell into our laps because we just put out a song with Drake Milligan, who’s part of America’s Got Talent, and the producers reached out and asked if we wanted to audition,” explained Jenna on Wednesday. “It was terrifying because we have a career here [in Canada] and we knew it was kind of putting ourselves on the line to see if we could get judged by Simon Cowell. Which is terrifying.”
The decision to appear on the show was a no-brainer for these musicians.
“We did it because we’re yes people, and we knew this opportunity doesn’t show up everyday,” Jenna explained. “It went great, so we’re thankful for that.”
That didn’t mean the siblings weren’t nervous about the outcome.
“I felt quite cool, calm and collected going into it,” Stuart recalled. “Then we walked out on the stage and [Cowell] was the one in charge of interviewing us. As soon as he started talking, I was like: ‘I’m inside my television.’ It felt like we were inside a television show for 10 minutes.”
The Reklaws ultimately decided to perform their new single titled ‘People Don’t Talk About.”
“We were between two different songs for this competition,” Jenna explained. “This one seemed to just be the one that felt right. We lost our mom to mental health two years ago, just over two years ago, and it felt like if we had one chance to get on the stage to perform a song in front of this many people, to hit some people at home who may be dealing with the same thing, I think that’s what we wanted to do. We did it, and we knew it was kind of a risk, but we also knew that these conversations need to happen and if we could be the voice for that, then we felt honoured to do so.”
At the end of the performance, judge Howie Mandel praised their song choice.
“Your singing and writing is impeccable, and I don’t usually respond to lyrics, like I’m responding to this,” Mandel explained. “I’ve been very open, my little soapbox is mental health and the stigma attached. The thing that allows me to survive is the ability to talk about it.”
The Reklaws also got rave reviews from his fellow judges Heidi Klum, Sofia Vergara and Cowell.
“That was a great, great audition, seriously good. Unbelievably powerful, that song was stunning,” Cowell said.
“He was lot nicer than he has been in the past,” Jenna joked afterwards.
The Reklaws walked off stage with four enthusiastic yeses. They couldn’t say much more about their future performances on the TV show.
The pair, meanwhile, already have a pretty impressive track record here in Canada.
The Reklaws have previously won three JUNOs and eight Canadian Country Music Association (CCMA) awards.
They’ve also had four #1 hits on Canadian country radio, as well as two double platinum, eight platinum and 13 gold singles. Their debut, a song called “Long Live the Night,” became the theme song for CFL Thursday Night Football in 2018-2019, and “What the Truck” featuring SACHA was the fastest-ever Canadian country song to reach platinum in the streaming era.
Radio host Chris Byrne, of Pure Country 89 in Windsor, Ont., is excited for the world to know of one of Canada’s biggest talents.
“Watching them yesterday, I was so proud,” he told CTV News. “I felt like a proud uncle as they were getting a standing ovation from the crowd.”
Music publicist Eric Alper also has high hopes for what the duo’s appearance will mean for their careers.
“There are still 350 million people in America that have not streamed or bought their records and that may change very, very quickly due to this appearance,” he said. “Everybody is looking for that one opportunity. For The Reklaws, it actually might be a traditional television talent show that does it, which is kind of really cool when you think about it.”
As for what’s next, The Reklaws already have a pretty packed calendar this year.
They’ll be playing at festivals across the country, including the Big Valley Jamboree, Sunfest Country Music Festival and Country Thunder Alberta.
“We are pretty much hitting every major market across this entire beautiful country this summer,” Stuart explained. “It’s where we thrive. It’s where The Reklaws began, with live shows.”
“We can’t wait to see everyone this summer,” Jenna added.
Fans can find tour dates on The Reklaws’ website.
“They’re just going to go through the roof,” Byrne warns. “If you want to get in on smaller ticket sales before they get to Taylor Swift ticket sale prices, then now is the time.”
The pair are also set to perform at the 2024 CCMA awards in Edmonton on Sept. 14.
They’ll air live on CTV, starting at 8 p.m. ET.
- With reporting from Leighanne Evans and Ashley Bacon
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6930918.1718707431!/httpImage/image.png_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.png)
Stellantis recalling nearly 1.2 million vehicles to fix software glitch that disables rear camera
Stellantis is recalling nearly 1.2 million vehicles in the U.S. and Canada to fix a software glitch that can disable the rearview cameras.
Canada sanctions 13 more Russians for role in Navalny's imprisonment and death
Canada is sanctioning 13 more Russians from the intelligence service, police force and corrections system for their role in the poisoning, imprisonment and death of opposition leader Alexei Navalny.
South Korean soldiers fire warning shots after North Korean troops cross border, apparently in error
South Korean troops fired warning shots to repel North Korean soldiers who briefly crossed the rivals' heavily fortified land border Tuesday for the second time this month, the South's military said. Both incursions were believed to be unintentional.
Obituary French actress Anouk Aimee, a Golden Globe-winner for her role in 'A Man and a Woman,' dies at 92
French actress Anouk Aimee, winner of a Golden Globe for her starring role in 'A Man and a Woman' by legendary French director Claude Lelouch, has died. She was 92.
Staples stores begin accepting Amazon returns under new partnership
Canadians can now return their Amazon orders through Staples. The e-commerce giant says the office supply retailer's 298 stores are now equipped to handle Amazon returns.
3 people dead, including gunman, after shooting in Toronto office space: police
The gunman who killed a man and a woman is among the deceased after a triple shooting inside an office space near a daycare and a school in North York on Monday afternoon, according to police.
EXCLUSIVE 'They were literally feral': Demands for answers in horrific B.C. case of child neglect
A horrific case of child neglect involving three young children has their extended family in northern B.C. demanding answers.
Ottawa couple's loan payments more than double after new company takes over financing
An Ottawa couple is sharing their buyer beware story and the importance of reading the fine print in contracts, following a shocking price hike and interest rate adjustment for their home furnace financing.
Secret Service agent robbed at gunpoint during Biden's Los Angeles trip, police say
A U.S. Secret Service agent was robbed at gunpoint as President Joe Biden was visiting Los Angeles for a fundraising event over the weekend, officials said.