Get to know 2023 Comedy Album of the Year Presented by SiriusXM nominee, Zabrina Douglas in our “7 Questions With” series where we speak with first-time JUNO Award nominees from all genres.
Zabrina Douglas is a comedian, a full-time nurse, and a mother of 5 children. Even though her plate is overflowing, she has excelled at being a touring stand up comic who produces her own regular show: Things Black Girls Say, a show Zabrina created because she saw an opportunity to showcase voices that weren’t often, if ever, on the same bill. She also produced and performed her solo show (A Nurse’s Worst Nightmare) at the Toronto Fringe Festival. She has appeared at the Winnipeg Comedy Festival, Black Women in Comedy, Laugh Fest in NYC and made it to the main event for the World Series of Comedy competition in Las Vegas. Zabrina has opened for notable comics such as the late Gilbert Godfrey, Lunell and Cocoa Brown.
1. How does it feel to be nominated for a JUNO award?
I feel humbled and amazed to receive such a nomination! It still doesn’t feel real! I’m so excited and now it’s very hard for me to go to work as a JUNO nominated artist but I’m trying not to tell everyone! I’m finding it very hard!
2. Tell us a bit about your JUNO-nominated project.
Things Black girls say is an album based on my life experiences as a Jamaican-raised woman living in Canada. The stories I tell on this album represent everything I went through as a child, nurse and mother. A lot of my stories have been traumatic experiences, but I really live by that motto “it’s better to laugh than to cry.” So it’s ok to laugh at my pain!
3. What do you think is your funniest bit from this project, and why is it your favourite?
I have many favourite bits but my most favourite bit is the story about my brother going to Mexico because that’s a great example of how my childhood went in one joke! A lot of dramas and a lot of memories that weren’t fun at the time but now that I’m over it they make the best jokes! Also, I love imitating my dad when I tell jokes especially when you can hear the crowd enjoying it when I perform at a live show.
4. What has been the craziest moment of your career to date?
The craziest moment happened when I first started comedy. I was a nurse and a new mom at the craziest open mics late at night till early morning desperately trying to Practice my set and get used to the stage! Then I would go straight to work for a night shift. That’s still crazy for me. One time I did my set at a strip club in Toronto between stripping acts and then I went to work right after in the hospital. so crazy! I couldn’t tell people what I did before work I was just glad I could practice my set! As a comic, you need all the stage time you can get! I will never do that again! But if I have new jokes and nowhere to go it will be off to the strip club for me! To tell jokes! Only!
5. Which fellow Canadian comedian makes you laugh the hardest?
Russell Peters is my all-time favourite Canadian comic to watch do stand-up! I love his storytelling. Especially watching his crowd work is so funny! Also, him being a fellow Brampton resident makes me especially proud!
6. What would you like fans to know about you? How would you introduce your comedy to new or soon-to-be fans?
I would like fans to know that I am a mom and also a nurse and that even though times are hard for everyone I like to find the fun in every situation! Laughter is really the best medicine! My comedy is a lot Like storytelling it can be shocking, but I take those stories and turn them into jokes! Because to me life is not meant to be taken seriously all the time!
7. What’s next for you?
I will be taking my comedy as far as I can go! Follow me on Instagram to see what I’m doing next!
Tickets for The 2023 JUNO Awards are on sale now! Don’t miss out on an unforgettable night of Canadian music hosted by Simu Liu on March 13.
