Karma smiles on local band

Less than a week ago, no one knew who My Cousin Karma was.

Now, thousands of people have seen their debut music video, their fan base is steadily growing online and they can even be heard on Hot 93.5.

Not bad for a few kids who hadn't even blipped onto the radar until last Saturday.

Shawn Fisher, who plays guitar and microkorg in the Sudbury-based electropop band, said the response has been nothing short of favourable.

When he and his longtime friend and former bandmate Marc Tessarolo decided to give music one serious go, they came across Josh O'Dair and Kristen Brutto right in their backyards. Fisher said he and Brutto, who is the group's vocalist, formed an instant working relationship that couldn't be compared to any others.

“We met, and within three hours we finished a song,” he said. “I've never had a working relationship like that before.”

Coupling that partnership with Tessarolo's drumming talent and O'Dair's folk-inspired bass work, the results have been catapulting the young group to new heights. Of course, staying true to themselves has helped, too.

“We didn't want to be exaggerated ideas of ourselves,” he said.

Benson, for which local video production team HB Entertainment created the music video, and was also played on Hot 93.5, is “a little bit more poppy” than the rest of their stuff, Fisher said.

“A lot of people would say it's not even our best song,” he admitted. Their single, Go, is the track they are hoping to use to make it big. On March 29, fans can hear My Cousin Karma play it live on The Episode, filmed at SRO at 7:30 p.m.

On April 15, the group is wrapping up recording their debut EP — the final product can be expected shortly after.

In the meantime, visit mycousinkarma.com and like them on Facebook at facebook.com/mycousinkarma.

Posted by Arron Pickard