Sarah McLachlan Says Music Saved Her

Canadian singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan, 56, captivated fans with songs such as “Possession,” “Adia” and “Building a Mystery,” then made an indelible mark on the music industry when she launched the all-female Lilith Fair festival in 1997. This year, to commemorate the 30th anniversary of her Fumbling Towards Ecstasy album, she’s performing in 30 North American cities, starting with Vancouver on May 23. She’s also working on a new album, which she hopes to release next May. McLachlan tells AARP how she got her career start, how she keeps fit in her 50s and why she’s funding schools to educate the next generation of musicians.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

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When did you realize you wanted to be a musician?

I have early memories of myself singing. My mom was really into American folk music, and I started learning a lot of the songs that she was listening to. I remember being 4 years old and begging for a ukulele, because I wanted to be Joan Baez. That being said, my parents were very encouraging of music as a hobby, not as a profession.

So how did it become your profession?

When I was 16, I heard Peter Gabriel for the first time, and his music blew my mind. I thought, I want to make music that makes people feel the way he makes me feel. Around the same time, I was in a band, and we played a few gigs. The very first gig I ever played, at 16 years old — when I saw people dancing and singing along and smiling to the music, I was like, This is the best drug in the world. This is what I want to do. I guess I was pretty darn lucky when a couple of years later, I got offered a record contract based on that very first gig I ever did.

Wow, that’s incredible.

Yeah. Just this crazy luck of being in the right place at the right time. Sure, it was having some talent, but lots of people have a ton of talent and they don’t have those opportunities. So I consider myself to be incredibly lucky that it all worked out for me.

McLachlan, performing here in New York in 2015, is embarking on a new North American Tour.

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How is life different for you now in your 50s?

It’s quite wonderful, actually, with the exception of some of my body parts aching. I’m having a fantastic time. I feel revitalized. I feel like I still have a lot to say. I’m making a new record. I’m very excited about this tour, as well. I haven’t done a proper tour in almost nine years.

How are you staying healthy in preparation for the tour?

A lot of the work beforehand is just staying in shape. I live outdoors. I hike a ton. I skate and ski. I swim as soon as the ice is off the top of the lake. I eat really well. I don’t smoke. I hardly drink. I try to get a lot of sleep. It’s just consistency.