Two Voices in Harmony: Paula Cole & Sophie B. Hawkins in Prince Albert

by Scott Roos

photos by Scott Roos

Sunday, Oct. 19th at the EA Rawlinson Centre for the Arts in Prince Albert, audiences witnessed a rare meeting of two icons from the ’90s singer-songwriter boom: Paula Cole and Sophie B. Hawkins. Their dual performance wasn’t nostalgia - it was renewal. Cole and Hawkins, who at that point were four dates into their Western Canadian tour, brought distinct energies to the stage. Hawkins burned bright, spontaneous and unrestrained. Cole followed with composure, grace, and emotional precision. Together, they struck a compelling balance - fire and reflection, wildness and stillness.

In a brief interview after the show, Cole spoke of the joy in this unlikely pairing. “I love hanging out with Sophie B. Hawkins,” she said. “That’s the best part of all — is the friendship. Loving the Canadian audiences. I’ve never been in this part of the country and I hadn’t toured Canada for 27 years, so I didn’t know what to expect. Touring business is hard, but I’m really touched by the love every night.”

Hawkins echoed her warmth. “I love getting to know Paula as an artist, but mostly as a person, which is actually inseparable,” she said. “It’s so rare to be able to have a female who’s so evolved and so developed as an artist that I can relate to. I’m only learning from and growing from being your friend. It’s comforting and funny. Truly comforting.”

That friendship, real and visible, gave the evening its shape - two women celebrating artistry and connection after decades in an industry that hasn’t always made room for either.

Hawkins opened the night accompanied by multi-instrumentalist Seth Glier, whose vocal harmonies and quiet strength on keys and guitar provided a steady anchor. Hawkins herself was pure motion — a live wire of charm and unpredictability.

She joked with the audience, danced barefoot across the stage, and when she picked up her djembe, the theatre transformed into a rhythmic exchange of energy. Her voice - gravelly and fearless - carried both the bite of rock and the ache of lived experience.

Between songs, she grew reflective. “When I came here to Canada, I took literally a big breath,” she told the crowd. “It’s really soothing because it’s hard in America right now. I can’t breathe sometimes, the worry for the children… So when I came here, it was really great. The timing is good.”

Hawkins’s set thrived on that push and pull - fierce and funny, vulnerable and strong. She remains a performer who doesn’t just sing songs; she inhabits them.

After intermission, Paula Cole took the stage with bassist Chris Bruce and guitarist Ross Gallagher. Where Hawkins burned, Cole glowed. Her performance was minimal, elegant, and deeply felt. At the piano, she was precise yet fluid - never indulgent, always honest. When playing guitar, it suited the song. Her voice, still luminous after nearly three decades, filled the room with both power and restraint.

Cole’s set mixed signature hits - “Where Have All the Cowboys Gone?” and “I Don’t Want to Wait” - with new material from her album Lo. “Green Eyes Crying” was a highlight, tender and deliberate, showing her mastery of silence and space.

Gallagher and Bruce added tasteful, deliberate accompaniment with not a single note wasted. Together they built a sound that was quietly transcendent.

Cole’s onstage demeanor was calm, almost shy, but her emotional clarity spoke volumes. If Hawkins embodied the night’s exuberance, Cole embodied its heart.

The two artists reunited on stage for a finale that tied everything together - a soulful cover of Neil Young’s “Helpless.” The idea had originated, amusingly enough, with a Winnipeg interviewer.

“It was the interviewer’s idea from Winnipeg,” Hawkins explained. “His name is Harold. He interviewed me for Winnipeg and he suggested it.”

Cole smiled. “(It was) a great idea.”

Their voices blended beautifully - Hawkins raw and earthy, Cole measured and luminous. It was an honest, unscripted moment that captured the whole spirit of the night: two distinct artists finding common ground through music and friendship. Glier also took a turn singing a verse.

Offstage, the camaraderie is just as real. “I’m less lonely on the road because I have a woman friend,” Cole said.

“It’s true,” Hawkins added. “It’s really something profound. We’re the boss lady of each configuration. And we’re always the only woman… (With Paula) I can relax more.”

That mutual respect shone through every moment of the concert. At the Rawlinson, what could have been a standard co-bill became something far deeper - two women, two musical identities, bound by shared resilience. Hawkins brought spark and spirit; Cole brought grace and gravity. Together, they reminded the crowd that artistry doesn’t fade - it evolves.

As the final chords of “Helpless” lingered, the audience rose to their feet. What they applauded wasn’t just nostalgia. It was connection - the very thing Cole and Hawkins came to celebrate.