Your sound is often described as a blend of soul,  folk, and indie-rock. How did the diverse musical backgrounds of each  band member contribute to forging that unique "Inner City" sound?
JD:  For me, I began performing at the age of nine, in a marching band.  Followed by decades of concert bands, small ensembles, choir and an  eclectic folk jam band. I’ve been inspired by a wide variety of musical  styles from Dvorak to the Indigo Girls to Angelique Kidjo. From my  experience as a clarinetist, years practicing arpeggios is paying off by  lending itself to finding vocal harmonies. I play kick drum with the  group, and I realize that I have a deep love for rhythm.
CE: We all come from such different backgrounds as performers and singers, from casual to professional. But the love of  music is consistent across the group. I think the credit should really  be given to AV on this, b/c it's her who recognized how we all would/could fit well together. It's her vision that really forms the group's sound.
DH:  It was a natural fit for me to step into the background section with  vocal harmonies having performed with Asani for over 20 years. We were a  trio of First Nations and Metis women who composed contemporary songs  in Cree with a hand drum and rattles.  To the traditional sounds of  chants, drums and rattles we added layers of harmonies.  Singing  harmonies is fire with the women of the Inner City.  And then bringing  in the more complex rhythms was a welcome challenge and such a thrill to  perform live and I believe that's why we've been able to connect to our  audiences at every live performance.  
 
Your  most recent single The Failer came out this year, what was the central  inspiration behind this collection of songs, and how did the writing  process differ from your previous work?
AV: Now  that I am writing specifically for this group, when I choose songs that I  already have or write new ones, I am thinking musically about how to  incorporate the voices of the singers and their range and personalities  into the arrangement and production of the song, and what songs  musically most lend themselves to that.  But I am also always thinking  about the topics and commonalities that united us in the first place -  the power of singing together, resilience in the face of adversity, etc.  
 
The  annual porch concert has become a beloved tradition. What's the most  unexpected or magical moment you've experienced during one of these  intimate performances that you couldn't get on a proper concert stage?
AL:  There have been many special moments at the porch concerts, it is hard  to pick just one. What makes the porch concerts special and unique for  me is the incredible diversity of the audience. Due to its location,  many people that happen to come to the porch concert are not your  regular music goers, many stumble upon the concert by accident just  simply because they hang out in the inner city. And many of them stop  and listen to a couple of songs, sit on the grass next to a person they  would otherwise never have any interaction with since they come from  very different worlds. And here they are, joined by music.  
CE: What I love about the porch concerts is that it's free and open to the community and is a bit more relaxed than a regular show, allowing you to connect with people in different ways. It feels more spontaneous in some ways, like, it's easier to just hop up on stage with other artists to play or sing on their songs. It also gives artists who don't have the opportunity to gig as much to get in front of a crowd and share their growing craft. There's so much joy and sharing. I love it.
 
AV,  your lyrics often tell very vivid, personal stories. Is there a  particular song that you feel was a turning point in your songwriting,  or one that is especially meaningful to you each time you perform it?  
There  is a song that I wrote and released in the year before the pandemic,  inspired by my neighbourhood, but before I met any of the Inner City  members. It’s based on a pop-psychology phrase, “Hurt People Hurt  People,” and that has seemed to resonate world-wide, but also VERY  poignantly in the neighborhood here, where the struggles of people  suffering from the opioid crisis spills over to all of us on a fairly  constant, gnawing basis, both mentally and with things like break-ins  and violence and witnessing the sex trade, etc.  So many people have  come up to me over the years and said how meaningful that song is to  them—many of them have anecdotes of having lost a loved one to  addiction—a son or daughter, a mom or dad. It’s hard to know who suffers  more—the people living with addiction, or the people living with those  people.  And then of course with trauma from war and displacement—that  also resonates with a lot of people here.   

The band's  name, Av & The Inner City, suggests a strong sense of place. How has  your city, its energy, and its people directly influenced the music you  create?
JD: As someone who grew up on Edmonton’s  Northside, as well as in and around the inner city for many years... the  people, the struggles, the art, the food, the sirens,  the parks and  benches, the hustle and bustle, the tent cities, the kids walking to  school…they all inspire us to sing AV’s songs with a sense of  familiarity, heartache and comfort which touches us all personally on  many levels.
DH:  I've been an Edmontonian for over 35 years  and have witnessed the good, the bad, and the beautiful.  Our music  scene here is second to none.  The songs are directly influenced by the  lives of those experiencing mental health issues, by those in love, by  newcomers...basically, the human experience.  Everybody has a story to  share that matters.  
 
Logistically,  the porch concert must be a fascinating challenge. How do you balance  preserving the DIY, neighborhood-block-party feel with the  practicalities of sound and crowd size as the event continues to grow in  popularity?
AV: Yes. Every week we did it—and now  every year—I am overwhelmed at the beginning, because there is a lot to  coordinate, and a lot of people wanting to know a lot of things, many  who are not used to the types of logistics for concerts.  So, it takes a  lot of communication and patience, and a lot of other people being  extra helpful and patient, too, like our beloved sound tech, Mike  Tulley.  It also takes a lot of trust from the neighbours, who are very  tolerant people and in any other neighbourhood there probably would be  people complaining about the crowd and the parking and the traffic and  the loud music all day—but because there are so many more negative and  truly disturbing things we have to put up with in the hood NO ONE in all  these years has complained about anything.  And then there is the  positive and chill attitude of all the performers, who all volunteer  their time.  So, it’s really a group effort and attitude thing.

Looking  ahead, what's a dream collaboration or a musical direction you're  excited to explore on your next project, whether it's a full album or a  new series of singles?
JD: Knowing that our  full-length album will be released soon, after almost five years of  learning and developing into the group we are today, is very exciting!!  It’s already been a dream collaboration!  I’m thoroughly excited and  grateful to continue this amazing adventure with AV and the group!  
DH:  This whole music project is a dream come true.  Having the songwriting  talent of AV, her musicality, insane vocal range and a background  section of strong and powerful voices....I mean, how does that get any  better?   Going forward, having this EP is a dream and we want to share  those songs with the rest of the world.