Why Vishtn will be checking social media on Sunday

Pastelle LeBlanc says she'll be checking social media a lot on Sunday.

LeBlanc is part of the P.E.I. band Vishtn,nominated for a Juno award in theTraditional Roots Album of the Year category for Horizons.

But they won't be at the Junos in London, Ont, on Sunday because they'll be in the U.S. travelling between gigs in Louisiana and Georgia. The tour, which also includes stops in Maine and Washington, DC, was booked long before the nominations came out.

"We didn't know we were going to get nominated," LeBlanc said in an interview on CBC's Mainstreet P.E.I.

Vishtn, which also consists of Pastelle's sister Emmanuelle and Pascal Miousse from the Magdalen Islands, has been playing together for 15 years. Though they've won numerous awards, this is their first Juno nomination.

'Pat on the back'

They are up against David Francey, Pharis and Jason Romero, The Slocan Ramblers and The Wailin' Jennys.

"Just to be nominated, for us, is already like winning," LeBlanc said.

"It just means like the work that we've been doing, it's like a pat on the back and saying you're in the right direction so we're super happy."

The Acadian band has travelled extensively all over the world. LeBlanc said on Horizons, they tried to make their music more accessible, and people have embraced it wherever they've played.

"We never know if it will be well accepted or not. We've been to New Zealand or different places where you have no idea how people are going to react," she said.

"People like the energy. Even if we sing in French it doesn't matter. I think it's just the music that goes through to people."

On P.E.I. this summer

They will take a break from travelling this summer, however. P.E.I. and New Brunswick are hosting the World Acadian Congress in August, and Vishtn will be a part of it.

"We usually go out to people, now we're going to be able to welcome people at home and show them where we're from and show them what we love about P.E.I.," LeBlanc said.

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