For someone who talks about themselves for a living, Tracy Hamilton finds it surprisingly difficult to answer the simple question: “Tell me about yourself?”
“I'm human-exclamation-point Tracy Hamilton!” she says with a laugh. “I’m a stand-up comedian based in Toronto, but I grew up in Markham before making the huge leap to living 40 minutes outside of Markham.”
Hamilton's passion for comedy was evident from a young age. “I’ve been obsessed with comedy my whole life, so stand-up was a natural destination for me. I was always a huge fan and would listen to the comedy albums of my favourite comedians over and over on a loop.”
Recalling her first stand-up experience in Grade 12 at the York Region Arts Camp, she says, “That camp absolutely changed my life and gave me the confidence to embrace my weird, which is now what I do for a living.”
Her debut album, Human Person, hit all streaming platforms on June 14. Hamilton’s emotions are a mix of excitement and nerves.
“It feels amazing and scary and great,” she confesses. “I've been working so hard on this for so long, and it's a fantastic feeling to finally put it out. I also feel super vulnerable, like everyone has seen me naked now.”
The album title reflects Hamilton's feeling of sometimes being an alien in a person suit and her fascination with human flaws and quirks. These themes are central to her comedic style, which she describes as “personal storytelling.”
Mental health and identity are prominent themes in Hamilton's work, shaped by her life experiences and the new perspectives gained during the pandemic. Her approach to these topics is both relatable and humorous, providing an unusual but positive spin on mental health issues.
Releasing an album is a significant milestone for any comedian, especially in Canada, where opportunities for large-scale exposure are limited.
“My plan for the first month after the album release is to pull a blanket over my head and hide until I know people liked the album,” she admits, half-jokingly.
Beyond that, she aims to delve deeper into storytelling and craft a Fringe show where she can divulge all her secrets.
Scarlett Liu is a federally funded Local Journalism Initiative reporter at Markham Economist & Sun
