Talena Atfield facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Talena Atfield
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| Background information | |
| Born | January 14, 1983 |
| Genres | Nu metal, industrial |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instruments | Bass |
| Years active | 1999–2009 |
Talena Atfield, born on January 14, 1983, is a Canadian musician. She is best known for being the bass guitarist for the heavy metal band Kittie. After her music career, she became a historian. She now studies Indigenous peoples at the University of Waterloo.
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Early Life
Talena grew up in London, Ontario, Canada. She is the older of two children. When she was 14, she got her first guitar as a Christmas gift. This gift made her want to play music. She says the band Bon Jovi was a big influence. Her parents showed her their music when she was nine years old. As a teenager, Talena played in different bands and did many small shows. However, none of these bands lasted very long.
Music Career
Joining Kittie
Talena was almost ready to give up on being in a band. Then, she got a phone call from Mercedes Lander, a member of the band Kittie. Kittie needed a new bass player because their old one, Tanya Candler, had left. Talena was a fan of Kittie and was excited to join them. She quickly learned how to play the bass guitar in just two weeks. After that, she went to New York to film the music video for the song "Brackish."
In 1999, Talena officially joined Kittie. Even though she didn't play on their first album, Spit, her picture was added to later versions of the album cover. She did play bass on their second album, Oracle. She also performed with the band during their live shows.
Leaving Kittie
On March 21, 2002, Talena Atfield left Kittie. She explained that she was given a new contract that she could not sign. She felt the contract was not fair to her. She also said that the band had already found someone new to play bass before she even left. This made her feel that they didn't want her there anymore. After she left, Jennifer Arroyo took her place as the band's bass player.
After Kittie
After leaving Kittie, Talena also played in a band called Amphibious Assault. This was an industrial music project led by Fallon Bowman.
Talena also helped judge a TV show called America's Hot Musician. This show was a talent competition for musicians who play instruments. She judged alongside famous musicians like Gregory Charles Royal. The show was planned to air in July 2007.
Life After Music
Talena stopped working in the music industry in 2009. She then went to the University of Toronto and earned a special degree called a doctorate in Anthropology. Now, she is an expert in Indigenous relations and history.
In an interview in 2022, Talena shared that she is a member of the Kanien'kehá:ka Nation. This is also known as the Six Nations of the Grand River. It is a group of Indigenous peoples mainly based in Canada.
See also
In Spanish: Talena Atfield para niños
