Canadian musician Jann Arden said writing her newest album in the middle of the pandemic gave her "a lot of time to be reflective."

The writing process for "Descendant," Arden's 15th studio album out Friday, began in the spring of 2020, in the early days of the global outbreak of COVID-19.

"It was very much just about encouraging my friends and my family," Arden told CTV's Chief Anchor and Senior Editor Lisa LaFlamme.

Arden said the concept for "Descendant" was born out of those connections to her family, including her mother who has Alzheimer's, and the strong women who came before her.

"Our ancestors had to get through some very difficult situations," Arden told CTV News.