Two-time Juno winner Emilie-Claire Barlow is about to release Spark Bird, her first full album in five years.

The vocalist’s 13th studio album was conceived during the dark days of the pandemic, when she questioned whether she would ever even want to make another record. But during that time, a daily visit from a yellow-winged cacique that is native to the southern Pacific coast of Mexico eventually inspired her to dedicate an entire album of songs to birds of all shapes and varieties.

So far, we’ve been treated to four singles from Spark Bird, with the album to be released on March 31.

She joined us to talk about the process of finding her new muse and making the new record.