Kristin Lindell speaks about why she joined Music Can Heal

Kristin Lindell has provided her soulful, sultry vocals and acoustic music to several of Music Can Heal’s events, most notably to Alzheimer patients at Mosaic Home Care, as well as at Toronto General Hospital.

“When I was at Mosaic I saw the looks of people’s faces when they recognized the song I was singing and they knew the words, their faces absolutely lit up with joy,” Lindell recalled on her experiences at Mosaic Home Care. “Just to think that I was contributing to a moment of cohesion for them where they are integrating their emotions and their experiences - that really moved me. It’s definitely the more you give, the more you get back.”

Though Lindell has been studying sound healing for over 20 years, including Tibetan overtone singing and chakra chanting, music hadn’t always been a central focus in her life. She was an activist working on forestry and environmental issues; however, she would later reach a point in her life where she began to feel her creativity “bursting.” Lindell would go on to record two albums, the second, Overflowing, in 2012.

Lately, Lindell has been inspired by rhythm and her third album could possibly integrate more body and dance, which to her is related to what healing is all about.

“I am inspired by rhythm and dance and just deep experiences of sensuality in the sense that people are highly present when experiencing moments and I think that is really the key to healing – being present,” said Lindell. “Healing is about experiencing moments with your five senses and my music celebrates those senses and what we are feeling and touching.”

Outside of Music Can Heal, Lindell talks about her experiences working with people with aphasia, a communication disorder that affects speech and reading and writing and language.

“I was just blown away by the fact that they couldn’t speak, but they could sing along with me,” said Lindell on the aphasia patients. “Just knowing that I can touch people and shake people and help them connect again after suffering deliberating illnesses…it’s a beautiful gift, it is very satisfying."