Danny Michel brings Arctic experience to Winterruption

Musician Danny Michel went a long way to write some of the songs he will be performing at Winterruption in Saskatoon and Regina this weekend.

The Canadian artist was given a chance to spend 18 days on a Russian icebreaker called Kapitan Khlebnikov with astronaut Chris Hadfield's project Generator Arctic.

"It was so beautiful and incredible and breathtaking that it's hard to put into words," Michel said of his time on the vessel last year.

Ten artists from around the world were invited by Hadfield and his son to be part of the project.

"I don't think they could even finish the sentence, and I was like, 'Yes'," Michel said.

Michel said the trip was the closest thing he'll experience to being in outer space. Disconnected from the internet, Michel said being on the icebreaker took him to the top of the planet where he was surrounded by massive glaciers and Arctic animals.

Michel said he was mesmerized by a polar bear they saw on the trip, which he said was probably seeing humans for the first time.

"You just come back and look at the world and think how crazy, just the infrastructure and the world we've created and how much we've changed everything."

For the first week of the trip, Michel said he didn't do any songwriting, opting to just settle into the experience.

When it came down to start working on some music, Michel said he had to use bathrobes to help set up a recording studio in the cabin he shared with another person.

Michel spent the rest of the time writing an album, Khlebnikov, which is just being released this month.

Michel takes the stage at Saskatoon's festival Friday at The Bassment. He performs at the Artesian in Regina Saturday.