Quinell

Quinell Oucharek (“Quinell”) is a Canadian-born, up-and-coming musician based out of Pasco, WA. For the most part, he is just a regular guy who, in a round-about way, stumbled upon his passion for singing, songwriting, and performing.

This charismatic musician has not always toted a guitar, but rather, spent much of his stereotypical Canadian life growing up playing ice hockey. His first introduction to guitar came at 15, when a family friend loaned him a guitar with the specific instructions: “as long as you use it, it’s yours.” Appreciative of the gift, Quinell learned a few basic chords and simple songs, but maintained his pre-occupation with the on-ice pursuits.

With his sights fixed on college and the idea of a future in professional hockey, Quinell sidelined the notion of guitar playing until the age of 23. It was at this time when he determined that his competitive hockey career was nearing an end. His life of on-ice excitement, expression, and creativity required a new outlet. It was time to switch gears.

As his life transitioned off the ice, Quinell discovered solace in writing. He re-acquainted himself with the guitar and his passion for songwriting began to emerge. Several notebooks were brimming with ideas, lyrics, and chord progressions as dozens of songs began to take shape.

In 2010, Quinell played publicly for the first time, taking the first step to share his music with the world, which ignited an unavoidable desire to continue performing. What began as a simple tinkering on a family-friend’s guitar, transformed into an insatiable need to communicate and share his ideas with others. Receiving the support and guidance of local producer, Jason Vorpagel, Quinell has devoted his time and energy to recording his first full-length studio album, “Til We’re Free,” officially released in September 2013.

This release reflects the incredibly diverse talents of an incredibly dynamic, eclectic musician. The album provides upbeat, toe-tapping tunes intertwined with deep, reflective lyrics and harmonies. Songs like “Hooked on a Feeling,” “On My Mind,” and “The Wedding Song” reflect pondering the pursuits of love and contentment while “I Believe” conveys a powerful wrestling with issues pertaining to poverty, materialism, and the current state of our present-day world. To put it simply, it’s a feel-good album that will bring a smile to your face, which accurately sums up Quinell’s primary purpose in sharing his music: to provide an opportunity to smile, appreciate, and enjoy life to the absolute fullest.

As he continues to evolve as a musician, Quinell hopes to provide his listeners with an infectious, smile-inducing experience, while encouraging others to pursue their dreams at any cost – because like the all-too-familiar cliche indicates, “anything is possible when you put your mind to it.”