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By BRENNAN SARICH
Staff Writer

As Janet and I sit down she’s cool as a cucumber. As someone who’s worked in media and television before, she knows all the cues, and the ins and outs of most of the questions I ask her. Her own coolness stands out amongst the sketchy band room area.

“I was in TV for four years, as an APTN producer,” she explains, “ Because I was working there I didn’t get to be on stage as much, and eventually I said to myself, ‘I want to be interviewed.’ I got some people together and said let’s do a record.”

The whole reason Panic is in town is because she is taking time away from the Vancouver music scene, and spending time with musicians and connections she has here.

“I am going to be in town doing a video at the Coxwell Legion. It’s a friggin’ cool place. I’m here for the summer because although I’m really well known in Vancouver, after you’ve started touring regularly, and playing certain venues, people kind of know your routines,” Panic says with a smile.

Tonight is the first of many performances, being part of Aboriginal Day’s performances in the Roots to Rock event at the Horseshoe on Queen Street East. Panic talks about the different kinds of artists, which mix genres from everything jazzy to rock-a-billy.

“The people here are really great. Everyone tonight is totally different.”

In speaking of how she got where she was, Janet says that she worked really hard to get where she is today, and part of the work she does as an artist is to ask the right questions.

“I’m at a point where I’m pretty fearless. The Aboriginal music community is very friendly. People in this industry want to help you achieve your dreams if you know what you want, and then people know how to help.”

Growing up Métis, Panic didn’t have a lot of interaction with Aboriginal Culture. Now, however, she’s branched out into the Aboriginal Artist community. She sings in French as well as English, and she works with the female Aboriginal music collective M’girl when she can. As for her family, her daughter is very supportive of her mother’s musical career, even though it can be hectic at times.

“I thought she would love touring. Now she says things like, ‘Mom, can you turn it down,’” Panic laughs, “She likes to read. She feels shy at times because her mom is like this big kind of music star, in a way.”

As for her future aspirations, Panic dreams big.

“I want to win a Grammy. Not because I want to be famous, but because you have to be touring, doing collaborations. It’s not the Grammy, it’s everything else. If you get a Grammy, you’re busy. And I want to be busy.”

Panic plans to be in town for the summer in Toronto while she does some recording and working with other Aboriginal artists. Make sure to look her up over the summer, she’s sure to turn up at popular local stages in the musical venues of the GTA.