Canadian folk group The Wailin’ Jennys comes to Fox Theatre in Redwood City

“We love coming to California,” Moody said. “We love the audiences. They’re really kind of outgoing and really bring a lot of love to the shows.”

The group is known for its melodic chemistry between the trio’s voices. Moody said she drew inspiration from other folk and country singers such as Gillian Welch, Townes Van Zandt and Emmylou Harris. The music by the band’s current lineup — Moody, Nicky Mehta and Heather Masse — also has blends of the Celtic genre, which is immediately obvious in the way the three singers harmonize on some lyrics but still let the lead vocalist shine through.

The Wailin’ Jennys will be testing out songs for their new album, as well as singing fan favorites at the Fox Theatre in Redwood City, 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 14. Although it may be the group’s first time playing at the Fox Theatre, they are certainly no stranger to the Bay Area, Moody said.

The group has played at The Freight in Berkeley, formerly known as The Freight and Salvage, and in San Francisco for the “Hardly Strictly Bluegrass” festival in 2018.

“There’s a spirit there that we really connect to,” Moody said.

The group formed in 2002 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. It was Moody, Nicky Mehta and former member Cara Luft. In 2004, Luft would be replaced by Annabelle Chvostek, who performed with the group until 2007, when current member Heather Masse filled her spot. Moody, Mehta and Luft were singers and musicians who were all following their own paths at the time, but were friends in the tight-knit Winnipeg music community. They wanted to collaborate with one another on their songs and decided to perform a show in a guitar shop owned by one of their friends.

Many fans in the folk music scene immediately took notice of their talent, causing the group’s success to climb, leading to their first album.

The group has produced four studio albums and one live album. Their 2004 debut studio album, 40 Days, was awarded the Juno Award, a Canadian Grammy, in 2005 for Roots and Traditional album of the year.

Moody recalled how exciting it was to receive the highest award in the Canadian music industry on their first shot.

“We were very honored,” Moody said. “It was kind of a surprise, but we also had been touring like crazy and really working hard at it, so it was nice to have the album recognized in that way.”

Their 2011 third studio album, Bright Morning Stars, landed them their second Juno Award for Roots and Traditional album of the year. Their 2006 second studio album, Firecracker, and 2017 fourth studio album, Fifteen, were nominated for a Juno Award.

All these years later, many things have changed in the lives of the singers, such as family and motherhood, but they still love touring around the country when they can, Moody said.

“We all, for different reasons, love getting out on the road and getting to perform and getting to sing with each other,” Moody said. “It’s really fun for each of us to kind of reconnect with our music selves and our professional selves, because obviously, when you have families that changes and some of that has to take a back seat.”

Moody added that the group is currently compiling songs for the new album, and they are simply trying out little things every day, as the creative space is still wide open for ideas.

There is no name yet for this new album or an expected release date, with many factors still in the works. It will be the group’s fifth studio album, and their third studio album with Masse.

“We’re going with the flow,” Moody said. “I think there’s definitely a feeling of sort of trusting that it’s going to find its way, and that it’s going to be great.”