Joy Harjo
We previously brought you a list of 7 Native American artists that we think you should know. Yet there are so many more musicians out there: folks creating incredible works in the fields of classical, folk, and even experimental music. As we continue to celebrate the history and cultures of the peoples Indigenous to what is today called the USA and Canada, we encourage you to do a deep dive on the following artists and the communities they come from.
1. Dawn Avery
Dawn Avery is a Grammy-nominated Mohawk composer, cellist, vocalist, and educator. Her prolific work as a cellist has led her to collaborate alongside musical giants like Luciano Pavarotti, Sting, Philip Glass, John Cage, and R. Carlos Nakai. Avery's music reflects a deep spirituality, rooted in love for her Native American heritage and sacred traditions around the world. Her music often blends contemplative, folk, pop, and classical elements.
Avery is also a published author of several scholarly articles on Indigenous theory and Native Classical music. She received the 2011 United States Professor of the Year award from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.
2. Raven Chacon
Raven Chacon is an award-winning Diné composer, musician, and visual artist from the Navajo nation. He is known primarily in the noise music and experimental music genres, combining sound, space, and performance art to explore the histories and cultures of Indigenous peoples. Chacon is the first Native American to win a Pulitzer Prize for Music, which he received in 2022 for his work "Voiceless Mass."
3. Brent Michael Davids
Brent Michael Davids is a celebrated Native American composer and flutist. Part of the Stockbridge Munsee Community, his works bridge traditional Native music and contemporary styles, often expanding on traditional motifs. Davids has composed for a variety of renowned ensembles, including Zeitgeist, the Kronos Quartet, Joffrey Ballet, the National Symphony Orchestra, and Chanticleer. His compositions span a variety of genres, from symphonies and choral works to dance, theater, and film scores. He is a recipient of numerous awards, including the NACF Artist Fellowship in Music, and his works have been performed internationally.
A piece for those who protested the Dakota Access Pipeline in 2017
4. Joy Harjo
Joy Harjo is a member of the Muscogee Nation. An acclaimed poet, musician, playwright, and author, she became the first Native American to serve as US Poet Laureate in 2019. Her poetry is deeply rooted in her Indigenous heritage, drawing on Muscogee traditions. In addition to publishing numerous books of poetry, plays, and works of prose, Harjo is also an accomplished musician who has released several albums of original music.
Harjo is a recipient of numerous awards, including the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry, the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Native American Music Awards, and the Wallace Stevens Award from the Academy of American Poets.
Joy Harjo performs a poem and a song.
5. Elisapie Isaac
Elisapie Isaac is an Inuk singer-songwriter from Salluit, Nunavik, currently based in Montreal. She creates music in French, English, and Inuktitut, often drawing inspiration from her childhood memories and Indigenous community. In addition to being a musician, Elisapie is also a filmmaker and activist. Her latest album Inuktitut features covers of songs Isaacc remembers as a teenager growing up in Salluit, translated into Inuktitut.
Elisapie Isaac's version of "Heart of Glass".
6. R. Carlos Nakai
R. Carlos Nakai is a renowned Native American flutist of Navajo and Ute heritage. Nakai is considered a master of the traditional Native American flute, one who has collaborated with artists internationally. His discography contains a mixture of traditional flute melodies and his own compositions; he has released over 50 albums, earning him two Gold Records for "Canyon Trilogy" and "Earth Spirit" and eleven Grammy nominations. Nakai's music blends traditional Native American sounds with contemporary influences, creating a unique and captivating style that has resonated with audiences worldwide.
7. Laura Niquay
Laura Niquay is an Atikamekw singer/songwriter from the Indigenous community of Wemotaci, Canada. She is known for her soulful voice and songs that blend traditional Atikamekw melodies with modern folk and blues influences. Niquay's music often explores themes of identity, culture, and spirituality; in fact, she works closely with elders and Atikamekw women who specialize in linguistics in order to be as accurate to the ancestral language as she can. She has released two albums thus far, Waratanak (2015) and Waska Matisiwin (2021), which have both been critically acclaimed.
8. Kalani Peʻa
Kalani Peʻa is the only Native Hawaiian to win three Grammys for Best Regional Roots Music Album. He is known for his powerful vocals, mastery of traditional Hawaiian music, and commitment to preserving Hawaiian culture. Peʻa released his debut album "E Walea" in 2016, winning the Grammy Award for Best Regional Roots Music Album that year. He has released two more critically acclaimed albums since then: Kau Ka Peʻa and No ʻAneʻi.
Pe'a is also a dedicated educator, working to promote Hawaiian language and culture, as well as the co-owner of Pe’a Records & Entertainment alongside his husband Allan B.
9. Lido Pimienta
Currently living in Toronto, Lido Pimienta identifies as queer, Afro-Colombian, and Indigenous Wayuu. Her music is a mix of traditional Afro-Colombian rhythms with contemporary electronic and synth-pop influences. Pimienta is deeply influenced by many traditional sounds of her culture, including music used for cumbia, bullerengue, and champeta dances. Her album Miss Colombia was nominated for a Latin Grammy in 2020; in 2021, Pimienta became part of the first all-female team to create a piece for the New York City Ballet with sky to hold.
10. Terry Uyark
Terry Uyark is an Alaskan Inupiaq singer-songwriter who blends traditional Inupiaq music with elements of contemporary folk, rock, and blues.While he enjoyed music from a young age, it wasn’t until 2020 that he started releasing his music to the world. His debut album Nunarjua Isulinginniani featured storytelling interludes by Igoolik elder Simon Qamaniq, and won a Juno Award Nomination for Indigenous Album of the Year 2021.
