Artist Glimpse: Mississauga's Chelsea Johnson
/In the Mississauga arts scene, Chelsea Johnson is a connective force. Known for her work as an actor, performer, and host of the Cue to Cue podcast, Chelsea’s career is defined by the mantra "Don’t Wait to Create." Her latest project, Reimagined Roots, recently earned a Mississauga Arts Council MicroGrant, bringing together a local collective to record live off the floor. By stripping away production layers, Chelsea is capturing the raw, spontaneous pulse of our city’s musical talent. We sat down with her to discuss the courage of live recording and the beauty of reimagining the songs that shaped us.
ROB AGUIAR - For the Reimagined Roots project, you’ve chosen to record live off the floor, a method where the collective performs as a single unit in the studio. In an era where music is often built one layer at a time, what does this collaborative, in-the-room approach offer your performance that a traditional multi-track recording simply cannot?
CHELSEA JOHNSON - For me, recording live off the floor gives you something music is starving for a little right now, aliveness. When everyone is in the room listening, responding, and breathing together in real time, there is an energy and human connection you just cannot build layer by layer.
What I love about it is that it is not just about perfection — it is about feel, chemistry, and real moments. And that is such a huge part of Reimagined Roots. We are interested in capturing the magic that happens when real musicians reimagine a song together in the room. I think audiences can feel the depth and humanity in that right away..
RA - Your podcast, Cue to Cue, is on a mission to help artists embrace authenticity and take creative risks. Now that the tables are turned and you’re the one in the recording hot seat, how has this collective challenged you to live out your own "Don't Wait to Create" mantra in a new way?
CJ - This project has really challenged me to live out my own mantra in a more embodied way. On Cue to Cue, I talk with artists all the time about authenticity, creative risk, and creating before you feel fully ready — and Reimagined Roots asked me to do exactly that myself. It pushed me to stop waiting for perfect timing and just trust the vision enough to move.
It also feels like an extension of the podcast in a meaningful way. Cue to Cue has always been about creating a space where artists feel seen and their voice can be heard, and Reimagined Roots carries that same spirit through music. So for me, this collective has been a real practice in choosing creation over comfort and living what I talk about.
RA - Reimagining a song, especially one with deep roots, is a delicate balance between honoring the original and making it your own. When selecting the repertoire for this collective, what was the one non-negotiable element a song had to have for you to feel it was worth a live reimagining?
CJ - Honestly, I collect songs as I go about my life. If something hits me, stays with me, or makes me think, ooh, there could be something there, it goes on the running list. So I’m always kind of gathering material. Nick Mustapha, our musical director, will also come in with song ideas, so it’s very much a collaborative process from the start.
The one real non-negotiable for me is that it has to be a hit song — something influential, something that has really lived in people in some way. I want there to be roots there. I want there to be some collective memory attached to it, because that’s part of what makes the reimagining satisfying. You’re not just reinventing any song — you’re taking something people know, feel, and have a relationship with, and then opening it up in a new way.
RA - This project brings together a group of local musicians to record in a shared space where you have to breathe and react to one another in real-time. How did you select the artists for this group, and what did you discover about the necessity of trust when collaborating in such a high-stakes environment?
CJ - Right now, Nick Mustapha and I are working with vocalists and musicians we know in the industry who we know can thrive in a live off the floor environment. It is definitely higher stakes, so we are looking for people who come prepared, are strong live performers, and can stay responsive and playful in the room.
We also really try to keep the energy fun and light, because that is when the magic happens. And in that environment, trust is everything. You have to trust the people around you musically and personally, because you are reacting in real time together. Moving forward, I’m also really interested in working with multi-genre singers so that when we perform live, the audience gets a diverse, surprising experience that keeps them engaged.
RA - With the recordings coming to life, the community is eager to hear how these sessions translate to a stage. How do you see this collective contributing to the local scene, and would you be open to bringing that energy to a live Glimpse showcase in the near future?
CJ -I see Reimagined Roots contributing to the local scene by offering something that feels both familiar and fresh. People know the songs, but they get to experience them in a totally different way, and I think that creates surprise, connection, and a real sense of discovery. It invites people back into listening in a deeper, more present way.
It also creates space for collaboration, which is a huge part of the heart of the project for me. It is not just about showcasing one person — it is about bringing artists together, letting their artistry intersect, and building something that feels alive in the room.
And yes, I would absolutely be open to bringing that energy to a live Glimpse showcase. It feels like a really natural fit in terms of community, storytelling, and live music, and I think it would be such a beautiful way to bring these arrangements off the screen and into the room with people.
Chelsea Johnson is a true multi-hyphenate artist, a creator who seamlessly balances the roles of mentor, performer, and community architect. With Reimagined Roots, she has successfully moved beyond the polish of the studio to capture the raw, collective energy of Mississauga’s music scene. By choosing to record live and embrace the risks of the moment, Chelsea proves that authenticity isn't just a podcast theme, it’s her creative heartbeat. We look forward to seeing these roots take hold on local stages as she continues to shape the future of our artistic community.
