Norine Braun’s latest ‘East Van Crossing’ is a soulful, stirring folk rock tribute to the community she calls home.

The track feels like a warm hug or the feel of sunshine on a cold day.

That’s probably how Norine feels as she walks the streets of the vibrant East Vancouver community she has called home for over 30 years. She shares her unabashed love and affection specifically to the Commercial Drive area, highlighting everything she sees, smells, and hears. From the gorgeous murals on the walls to bars and coffee shops to spontaneous meetings with strangers, Nicole paints an immersive, inspiring visual picture of her beloved East Van neighborhood.

‘East Van Crossing’ was performed with the Henhouse Popup Sessions—an innovative, fast-paced format where songwriters are given just one hour to track a song with a top-tier band. The track was recorded live at the legendary Warehouse Studio. It captures Norine’s imaginative, spontaneous songwriting abilities as she performed this, supported by a cast of supremely talented Canadian session artists.

It’s quite remarkable what Norine and this group were able to produce in such a short, improvised period. It speaks volumes about this artist’s ability, vision and intent. The track rolls with a comfortable, self-assured tempo, with unhurried but sublime folk-rock instrumentation. Norine’s vocals echo with heart and soul, and as a veteran resident of East Van, she brings a unique perspective to the listener. It’s like the best kind of virtual, musical introduction to the area for someone who’s never been there.

Accompanying this track is a colorful, creative, kaleidoscopic music video that features captured images of East Van and Norine as she walks around the neighborhood, admires the murals, and spends time with her friends over a tall, cold one. It’s heartwarming and soulful and is sure to make every resident of East Van proud to call it their home.

Stream ‘Norine Braun – East Van Crossing’ on Spotify here: