Susan Aglukark is Canada’s first Inuk artist to win a Juno (total of 4), a Governor General’s Performing Arts Award for lifetime artistic achievement, and she is an officer of the Order of Canada. Susan holds several Honorary Doctorate degrees and has held command performances. During a career that has spanned more than 30 years, Susan’s journey as a singer-songwriter has led her to reflect on who she is, where she comes from and the importance of discovery – discovery of history, culture and self, this time of reflection, writing and songwriting has Susan coming back to one area of profound knowing, the Inuit are an extraordinary people deeply grounded in a culture forged by their Ancestors, their journey is what shaped them.

Beatrice Deer is an acclaimed “Inuindie” singer-songwriter based in Montreal, blending indie rock and modern folk with Inuit throat singing. Half Inuk and half Mohawk, she was born in Quaqtaq, Nunavik, and sings in Inuktitut, English, and French. Her seven studio albums draw on personal experience and cultural storytelling.

Beatrice has earned major accolades, including the Canadian Folk Music Award, Indigenous Music Award, and the 2023 Summer Solstice Indigenous Music Award for Inuit Artist of the Year. Her score for Angakusajaujuq: The Shaman’s Apprentice won multiple awards, was named Best Canadian Film at TIFF, and was shortlisted for an Academy Award.

A tireless advocate for mental health and community empowerment, Beatrice’s remarkable journey serves as an inspiration to aspiring artists and a testament to the transformative power of creativity and dedication.

Al Desjarlais is a Metis man whose first language is Michif French. He was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba and spent his infancy in St. Laurent, Manitoba, moving back to Winnipeg at the age of six.

He developed an interest in music at an early age.  His first passion was rock and roll in the 1960’s and 70’s followed by his love for country music.  He was greatly influenced by Merle Haggard and the 1980’s Outlaw country music scene.

With love for the music, his friends encouraged him to record some of his music for family and friends to enjoy for years to come.  He released his CD, “Winds of Change” which he dedicated the song “Waltz of the Wind” to his late mother “Hilda” who inspired him at an early age to learn this song.  Later years he also released a CD, “Al Desjarlais sings Old School”.

Coming soon

Deantha Edmunds is Canada’s first Inuk professional classical singer. She was appointed a Member of the Order of Canada for her work which seeks to empower Indigenous people and share their stories.

Acadia University awarded Deantha with an Honorary Doctor of Music in May 2025. She won the 2025 JUNO for Classical Composition of the Year and was named Indigenous Artist of the Year at the 2025 East Coast Music Awards.

In 2024, Deantha was honoured with one of Newfoundland & Labrador’s inaugural Premier’s Medals for the Arts, and she was named Arts NL’s Artist of the Year.

Deantha’s work has international reverberation as well as community integrity, and she has performed with professional ensembles across Canada and abroad. Creating original works, collaborating with other musicians, and mentoring young artists, Deantha shares her voice and vision with her whole heart, and is drawing accolades from across Canada and the world.

Theresa “Bear” Fox, Mohawk name: Kenkiohkoktha, is part of the Wolf Clan. Her Mohawk name means she is at the back of a crowd of people, or she is the end of a long line of people.  Theresa “Bear” Fox has five children and is married to Sky Fox.

Born into a big family of eight boys, and six girls Theresa “Bear” Fox is the youngest. She encourages her children to learn their language and culture so they can teach their young ones someday.

Theresa “Bear” Fox currently resides in Akwesasne and is apart of a woman’s singing group called “Kontiwennenhawi” which means Carriers of the Words.

A cycle-breaker and first-time Juno nominee for Children’s Album of the Year (2025), Kym Gouchie channels her ancestral connection to land and language. Deeply committed to preserving her mother tongues, she honours her legacy through songs in Dakelh, Secwepemctsín and Cree. Her music blends soulful folk with traditional drumming, chanting and storytelling, weaving ancestral words and cultural teachings into joyful and healing melodies. By foregrounding Indigenous voices and languages in Canadian music, Kym celebrates and uplifts her communities, advocating for cultural resurgence, intergenerational healing, and the vital importance of honouring Indigenous identity reminding us that we’re all in this together.

Tomson Highway was born in a snowbank on the Manitoba/Nunavut border to a family of nomadic caribou hunters. He was raised off-reserve, in the spectacularly beautiful natural landscape that is Canada’s sub-Arctic. He had the great privilege of growing up in two languages, neither of which was French or English; but Cree, his mother tongue, and Dene, the language of the neighbouring nation; a people with whom they roamed and hunted.

Following an education where he earned both a Bachelor of Music and the equivalent of a Bachelor of Arts with an English major, he spent seven years immersed in the field of Native social work. He then combined his education and training and poured himself into writing.

Today Tomson enjoys an international career as playwright, novelist, pianist, and song writer. Tomson is best known for universal hits such as The Rez Sisters, Dry Lips Oughta Move to Kapuskasing, Rose, Ernestine Shuswap Gets her Trout, (The Post) Mistress and the best-selling novel Kiss of the Fur Queen and his recently published memoir Permanent Astonishment. He has also written children’s books, namely Caribou Song, Dragon Fly Kites and Fox on the Ice. His work has been translated into eleven languages.

David Lavallee, is a seventy-one year old Métis Elder and Language – Knowledge Keeper. He speaks Michif French fluently as it is his first language. He is also a singer, songwriter and musician and has been entertaining for over 55 years across Canada.

Dave was raised in St. Ambroise, Manitoba and was the fourteenth child of a family of twenty. He spoke Michif French in the family home and is now teaching his language in schools and communities for both the youth and adults, throughout Manitoba.

Dave incorporates his music along with stories of his youth in Michif French and English to entertain and share his Métis culture and heritage. Dave has translated some English songs into Michif French, singing and sharing them during performances. The Métis Medley was arranged by Dave from three short Michif French songs the Métis Elders sung before him. He named it ‘The Métis Medley’.

Coming soon

Andrea Menard is an accomplished Métis performer who co-stars in the hit CTV/CW series, Sullivan’s Crossing. She is a multi-award-winning singer-songwriter and actress and was named “Métis Arts of the Year” at the 2023 Summer Solstice Indigenous Music Awards.

Over her 25 year career, Andrea has written and starred in two critically acclaimed, made-for-tv programs, 2 symphony pops concerts, 2 theatrical cabarets, including her latest, Rubaboo, that continues to be produced across Canada, and has released five albums. Her latest musical release, Anskoonamakew lii Shansoon is a giveaway album created to preserve the Michif language. Andrea dedicates her life and work to empowering both the Indigenous and the Feminine voice through song, story, training, and healing. Her TEDx Talk called Silent No More was created to help end violence against women, and her Seeds from the Sacred Feminine Wisdom Cards help raise funds for the Clan Mother’s Healing Village. With Michif roots from Manitoba, Andrea is a member of Métis Nation of British Columbia.

With a style perpetually galvanized by darkness and haunting northern beauty, sisters, Tiffany Ayalik and Inuksuk Mackay, come together to create Inuit style throat singing duo, PIQSIQ. Performing ancient traditional songs and eerie new compositions, they leave their listeners enthralled with the infinity of possible answers to the question “what is the meaning of life.”

With roots in Nunavut, the two grew up in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories. After years of forging hard won skill, they developed their own form blended with haunting melodies and otherworldly sounds. Approaching adulthood, they realized throat singing was not only a musical expression, but a radical, political act of cultural revitalization.

As PIQSIQ, they have recorded six albums and perform improvisational looping live, creating a dynamic audience experience that changes with every show.

Pacome Qulaut is a qilaujjaqti (Inuit drum dancer) from Iglulik, Nunavut. He joins his niece Charlotte for a first-time performance of a pisiq (traditional Inuit song) taught to her by her mother and grandfather. A lifelong drummer, Pacome is passionate about sharing his dance and culture with the world.

Both the practice of katajjaq and qilaujjaq have endured despite colonial efforts to silence them.

Silla is an acclaimed Inuit throat-singing duo known for blending traditional katajjaq (Inuit throat singing) with contemporary sounds. Made up of Charlotte Qamaniq (Iglulik, Nunavut) and Cynthia Pitsiulak (Kimmirut, Nunavut), they have been captivating audiences with their raw, hypnotic performances since 2005.

The name Silla—derived from the Inuktitut word Sila, meaning weather, spirit, land, and intellect—reflects the deep cultural roots and resilience of Inuit throat singing. Their music is a celebration of Inuit excellence: rooted in tradition, yet boldly evolving.

Layla Staats is Mohawk Turtle Clan from the Six Nations of Grand River. Her work stems from her Red Road to reclaim her Mohawk identity as a generational survivor of residential schools. Layla is a Filmmaker and Storyteller who premiered her second documentary “Boil Alert” at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2023. She recently launched her musical career with her first single “White Pine” which tells the story of her work as a land defender and water protector, bringing awareness to Indigenous issues across Turtle Island.

The way she shares her personal experiences and the truths of her water journey across Turtle Island, cuts right to the heart of audiences of all ages and leaves a lasting impression that can’t help but change people.

Singer-songwriter Emma Stevens, from Eskasoni First Nation in Nova Scotia, is an artist whose music and activism are intertwined with her Mi’kmaq heritage. Rooted deeply in her native language and cultural traditions, Emma’s work celebrates the strength and resilience of her people by merging traditional Mi’kmaq themes with contemporary musical influences.

Emma’s talent has graced international stages, with performances at major festivals and significant events, including two United Nations gatherings where she passionately advocated for indigenous rights and cultural preservation. Her impactful work has garnered recognition from global leaders and notable artists such as Paul McCartney.

In the Fall of 2024, Emma released a new single in honor of the UN Decade of Indigenous Languages with Mi’kmaq rapper, Devon Paul, called Voice of the Earth. Emma is also an active member of “The EYM Project”, a brand new collective dedicated to empowering youth through art and music. Emma recently represented The EYM Project at world forums in Mexico and Egypt.

It’s a long way from the dirt roads of Saddle Lake Cree Nation in central Alberta to the bright lights of Los Angeles, California, but Tia Wood followed her heart from the Rez to the City of Angels to make her musical dreams come true. Her powerful, soulful voice carries the spirit of her peoples’ songs that have echoed from her homelands since time immemorial, and the musical roots of her family tree run deep. Growing up in a home rich with music and culture, she began singing as soon as she could talk, inspired and nurtured by her parents, siblings, and her dual Plains Cree and Coast Salish heritage.