The Indigenous Music Series is a set of events designed to aid Indigenous artists, musicians, songwriters and other industry members in navigating and accelerating their careers in the music industry. It is set to take place in a hybrid format with both online and in-person sessions.
Participants of the series will meet weekly for 1-2 hours and discuss, learn, and practice new skills. It is meant to be taught by influential Indigenous artists, musicians, and industry members that continue to pave a way for Indigenous artists to practice and express their arts. Signing up will provide you with updates, resources and information as program events are announced. New participants will be accepted throughout the course of the program.
Below is the series schedule that will be expanded on as sessions are announced. It highlights the topics we will be discussing throughout. (Please note that session scheduling is subject to change.)
If you feel that you or someone you know would benefit from the program, please register for this FREE series through: https://saskmusic.wufoo.com/forms/q1hxiaie1ra3t32/
For more information on IMP, reach out to IMP Development Coordinator, Denny Blackstar at denny@saskmusic.org.
All times noted are Sask time.
Session 11: Identity in the Music Industry!
with Dale Mac and Erroll Kinistino
Saturday, May 31
1 pm SK time
Location: University of Regina: Education Building, Room 191
3737 Wascana Pkwy, Regina
or click here to join via Zoom
In this session, we've invited Erroll Kinistino and Dale Mac to present on the topic of "Identity in the Music Industry."
They will be sharing their experiences in navigating the Music Industry as Indigenous People and sharing insight into how they've incorporated aspects of their backgrounds into their musical journeys. They may talk about how those aspects may have guided their experiences and decisions when it comes to their creative process. This session may include discussions of language, history, and culture. It will also discuss how musicians may carry these values as they navigate the music industry.
Biographies:
Erroll Kinistino is an actor, musician, director, and artist from Ochapowace First Nation in Saskatchewan. He has several originals, and has had a number one hit on NCI radio with "Kokum's Kaddilac". He is also best known for his role on the long-running CBC television series North of 60, as Leon Deela.
Dale McArthur (aka Dale Mac) is a rock-roots songwriter and studio producer from the White Bear First Nations. He has firsthand and life experience as an Indigenous Artist of over 24 years. Dale has spent time as a liaison and Indigenous voice on different Arts boards, Arts Juries, festival committees, radio programming, and Indigenous Advisories. Dale is a strong supporter of local music and local arts agencies and art galleries, live venues, local festivals, and local radio stations. Dale has been a cofounder with the current SaskMusic Indigenous Advisory while continuing to produce his new music and offer guidance to emerging artists.
Upcoming sessions:
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| Reflection and Feedback |
PAST SESSIONS
Recordings for many of these sessions will be made available to those who could not attend.
Session 1 – Introduction to the Program
Thursday, February 6, 7pm (1 hour)
via Zoom
With: Dale McArthur, Joseph Naytowhow, Cheryl L’Hirondelle, Lorena Kelly
In this session, we will introduce the Indigenous Music Series. Meet some of the people involved with SaskMusic and the Indigenous Music Series. Attendees will have the opportunity to introduce themselves and share their musical journey with others.
We will look at how SaskMusic can provide assistance to those in the music community. As well, we will talk about expectations and what to expect from this series.
Session 2: Finding Mentors, Grants, Opportunities, and More
Thursday, February 13, 7pm
via Zoom
With: Rhonda Head, Lorena Kelly, Ben Valiaho
In this session, the artist will have the opportunity to see how the SaskMusic website can be utilized as a valuable resource for musicians and explore resources available to musicians/industry in Saskatchewan.
We will explore the possibilities for recording, funding, showcasing, and mentorship opportunities found within the SaskMusic Website. Finally, one of mentors, Rhonda Head will share her story and speak about how they would aid an artist through Mentorship.
By the end of this session, the artist will see the resources on the SaskMusic website and gain a better understanding of how to find mentors that are suitable for their variety of questions.
Forty-eight-time international award-winning Mezzo-Soprano vocalist, Rhonda Head is from the Opaskwayak Cree Nation in northern Manitoba. Rhonda released her fifth album on August 2024, Aski. Rhonda’s album is about nature, choosing what is right and admiring beautiful people.
Session 3 – How to Get The Most Out of Your Music Releases
Saturday, March 22, 5:45pm
With Matt Maw, President & Lead Artist Manager at Red Music Rising
In person at the Alt Hotel in Saskatoon (480 2 Ave S, Saskatoon) in The Indigo Room
and will be available via Zoom
Please register that you will attend by clicking here
Red Music Rising is based out of Toronto ON. Matt oversees artists such as Sebastian Gaskin, Boogey the Beat, Nimkish, and so many other amazing Indigenous talents. Matt will be presenting on music promotion and "How to Get The Most Out of Your Music Releases."
Matt Maw (Chippewas of the Thames First Nation) is the President & Lead Artist Manager at Red Music Rising. Matt brings well over a decade of multi-faceted music industry experience to RMR, along with a passion for artist development and a mission to amplify Canada's Indigenous artists on the global stage. Throughout his career, Matt has worked with some of Canada's most celebrated artists, Indigenous and otherwise, and now oversees a label and management roster including Sebastian Gaskin, Boogey The Beat, Nimkish, Wolf Saga, Reuben & The Bullhorn Singers, Drives The Common Man and LOR. A graduate of the Harris Institute for the Arts, Matt currently sits on the board of Music Managers Forum Canada and the BreakOut West Indigenous Advisory Committee. Matt has worked alongside organizations including Warner Music Group Canada, Universal Music Canada, Arts & Crafts Productions, Six Shooter Records, Collective Concerts, Field Trip, and Minoshkite.
Session 4 - Grants
Saturday, March 29, 2PM (CST)
With Creative Saskatchewan, Canada Council for the Arts and SK Arts
Via Zoom: Link will be sent to those signed up for the series https://saskmusic.wufoo.com/forms/q1hxiaie1ra3t32/
In this session, we've asked representatives from three major arts funding organizations to come and speak about different grants available to Indigenous musicians and industry. These being Creative Saskatchewan (represented by Program Advisor, Charles Umeh), SK Arts (represented by Program Consultant, Geoff Smith), and Canada Council for the Arts (represented by Program Officer, Marty Ballentyne). Each organization will present/speak about their organization and the grants that they offer. Once their presentations are complete, attendees can ask questions they may have regarding grants.
Session 5 - Booking Shows, Tours, and More
Tuesday, April 8, 6:30PM (CST)
With The North Sound and Niki Rochefort, AIM Booking Agency
Via Zoom: Link will be sent to those signed up for the series https://saskmusic.wufoo.com/forms/q1hxiaie1ra3t32/
In this session, The North Sound will be sharing insight into what goes on behind-the-scenes in terms of booking shows, tours, and more. They will be joined by their booking agent, Nicole (Niki) Rochefort from AIM Booking Agency, and together, they will share insight into their booking process. The idea behind this session is to hear more about the booking process and think about ways we can incorporate good methods into our own practices.
The North Sound: At the heart of great songwriting is great storytelling. For The North Sound, songs are a declaration of joy, a hallmark of yearning, and a tender tale of honesty. Yet amidst the rawness, trials and tribulations, there are notes of hope and happiness. This is the duo at their best: Sharing stories in the way they know how.
Forged deep in Treaty 7 Territory, where the prairies rush towards the foothills, The North Sound is a partnership between lead singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Forrest Eaglespeaker and vocalist and composer Nevada Eaglespeaker. A fusion of authentic voices, crisp harmonies and rollicking/burgeoning indie folk-roots rock, the duo, a married couple, weave and wend through themes of family and connection, recovery and addiction. As partners who play and write together, the themes of family, love and sacrifice are inescapable in their shared sojourn, Forrest and Nevada have forged the core of a rock solid collaboration. And at the heart and soul of the group is an incredible story of two people who stuck it out and found a collective voice to breathe life into tribulations and traditions
Nicole (Niki) Rochefort of AIM Booking Agency: Nicole (Niki) Rochefort is a leader in Canada's performing arts industry and the founder of AIM Booking Agency, a company that has been shaping the national touring landscape for 15 years. Since 2002, she has built a career spanning production assistance, stage management, artist development, and booking, with a deep commitment to supporting artists in Canada. With nearly two decades of experience in the industry, Nicole has played a key role in strengthening the Canadian touring circuit. She is a regular presence at showcase and exhibit conferences nationwide, advocating for artists and fostering connections between presenters and performers. In 2016, she was honoured as Agent of the Year by Ontario Presents, recognizing her impact on Ontario's live music scene.
Session 6 - Navigating Struggles for Indigenous Artists
Sunday, April 13, 2pm (CST)
Guest speaker: Drezus
In person at The Exchange, 2431 8th Avenue, Regina
Minors welcome, accompanied by a parent/guardian.
Free admission.
To attend online please register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_MiXbAuFPT5-hMdYTH102RQ
Drezus (Jeremiah Manitopyes) is an Anishinaabe/Nehiyaw hip-hop artist, songwriter, and actor who has become a powerful voice for Indigenous people. Based in Calgary Alberta, his music blends raw storytelling with cultural pride, inspiring the next generation to embrace their identity and find strength in their roots.
Drezus first gained recognition with Team Rezofficial, earning a JUNO nomination and multiple Indigenous music awards. As a solo artist, his 2013 album Redwinter and its title track became an anthem for the Idle No More movement, calling for Indigenous unity and empowerment. His follow-up, Indian Summer, further solidified his influence in the hip-hop world.
With a career filled with achievements - including the 2022 SOCAN Vince Fontaine Indigenous Song Award, a 2017 MTV VMA with Taboo (Black Eyed Peas), and four Indigenous Music Awards - Drezus has shared the stage with global icons like Drake, 50 Cent, and Mobb Deep, proving that Indigenous artists belong in every space. His latest release, Ballad of Bobby Jones featuring Sebastian Gaskin, continues his legacy of thought-provoking, powerful music.
Beyond music, Drezus has acted in Yellowstone and contributed to film and TV soundtracks, using storytelling as a tool for change. Through his art and activism, he encourages Indigenous youth to embrace their culture, express themselves with confidence, and chase their dreams—whether in music, business, or any other path they choose.
Drezus shows young people that their voices matter and their stories deserve to be heard.
Session 7 - Making Money from Your Music
with Amanda Rheaume, Artist, co-founder Ishkode Records
Tuesday, April 29, 630-830pm (Doors open at 6pm)
Saskatoon Inn & Conference Centre, Brass Lantern room, 2002 Airport Drive and via Zoom: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89895294897?pwd=GbZRGfjokcXNlZyaRf2ZbTaO0Zac2a.1
Join us for an informative session led by Amanda Rheaume. Amanda brings a wealth of experience as an acclaimed artist and songwriter, co-founder of Ishkode Records and the International Indigenous Music Summit, and founding board member of the Indigenous Music Office. A commitment to raising Indigenous sovereignty through the medicine of music motivates all of Rheaume's work.
In this session we will learn about ways to monetize musical careers - different revenue streams that are available to Indigenous musicians/artists. This session will be of interest to all artists whether you are just starting out, or have been pursuing your path in music for some time and want to be sure you are not missing out on opportunities.
ABOUT AMANDA RHEAUME: At the start of every show, whether on stage in Chile, Nashville or Brisbane, Australia, Rheaume introduces herself as a Citizen of the Métis Nation of Ontario whose Red River roots run deep, interwoven with Anishinaabe relatives from Lac Seul and mixed settler relations. Unfamiliar as some of these places may be to her audience, her introduction is both a greeting and a foundation, situating Rheaume and her songs in multifold lineages of family and community.
In Rheaume's music, songs of resistance and resilience travel centuries. With a gentle yet unflinching touch, Rheaume has grown to be a chronicler of stories and people whose acts - out of necessity and opportunity alike - cascade through time and space, from the 18th century Red River Settlement to her own doorstep. With curiosity and empathy, Rheaume has become a bearer of history, unearthing and preserving Métis stories in song. In her gutsy guitar-driven style, punctuated with lively Métis fiddle, Rheaume's heartland rock is built to last, resolute in rhythm and unswerving in purpose.
For her newest album, The Truth We Hold, Rheaume traveled across the homelands, visiting communities and individuals whose collective experiences make up a living history of Métis joy, strength and struggle. From Northwest Ontario to rural Saskatchewan, Rheaume's new collection explores moments that have shaped Métis history, from landmark court battles to silenced injustices, transmitting a message of interconnectedness that dissolves geographical and historical distances.
A recent recipient of the King Charles III Coronation Medal as nominated by the Métis Nation of Ontario and the recipient of the 2024 Spirit of Folk Award, 2023 Canadian Folk Music Award for Indigenous Songwriter of the Year and the 2023 Capital Music Awards' Album of the Year, Rheaume has released six full-length albums to date. Beyond recording and touring, Rheaume continues her ever-expanding role as an essential advocate of Indigenous music infrastructure and community. As a co-founder of Ishkode Records and International Indigenous Music Summit and founding board member of the Indigenous Music Office, a commitment to raising Indigenous sovereignty through the medicine of music motivates all of Rheaume's work.
Session 8 - Managing Merchandise w/ Tesler Mosquito.
with Tesler Mosquito, owner of Treaty 6ix Tuesday, May 6th at 7 p.m.
In this session, we asked Treaty 6ix's, Tesler Mosquito, to share some knowledge on managing merchandise. Tesler will shared the story on how he's built his successful merchandising/apparel company, "Treaty 6ix."
He also offered insights to attendee's on how they may begin managing their own merchandise as it pertains to the musical fields. Towards the end of this session, we will open the panel for questions and engage in discussions surrounding the topic.
MORE ABOUT TESLER: Tesler is proudly from the Mosquito, Grizzly Bears Head, Lean Man First Nation, located in Treaty 6 territory. Tesler and his family currently reside in the city of Saskatoon where Treaty 6ix Apparel was conceptualized and born. Tesler is an Indigenous entrepreneur who believes in ownership, imagination, and writing down your thoughts. He is the Creative builder of the brand with a growing team.
Treaty 6ix Apparel’s slogan “Land, stories, lifestyle” represents the importance of their lands and home territory, the stories they have been told and tell as a people, and pride and comfort of their lifestyle. Their apparel is made to be worn by all people who reside on these lands, show pride in these lands by the stories they tell, and to look blessed and be comfortable in any lifestyle. Treaty6ix.com launched in 2020, & with their trusted partnership with Canada Post they have been able to complete more than 500 plus orders thus far.
Treaty 6ix is also sold in select & limited brick & mortars, notably Below The Belt through western Canada. Treaty 6ix Apparel was created for style, & to also bring awareness to all the positive historical stories that we all share & walk forward in.
Session 9 - Festivals, Showcasing, and More!
with Alan Greyeyes & Cynthia Lickers-Sage, Thursday, May 15 at 7 p.m. (CST)
Join Zoom Meeting: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85748644447?pwd=sfy80ejbEuKYOXqRUTtY4kLETyEEpw.1
In this session, we've invited Cynthia Lickers-Sage and Alan Greyeyes to discuss the topic of "Festivals, Showcasing, and More!" In this session, Cynthia and Alan will be sharing insight into the various musical opportunities available to Indigenous musicians. A short portion of the presentation will be used to discussion funding outlets for these opportunities. Towards the end of the session, we will engage in discussion and open the panel to any questions attendees may have regarding the topic.
Cynthia Lickers-Sage Bio:
Cynthia Lickers-Sage [Kanienkeha:ka, Turtle Clan] is a proud recipient of the Governor-General of Canada's Meritorious Service Cross. Following her graduation at the Ontario College of Art and Design, she Co-Founded The Centre for Aboriginal Media, imagineNATIVE Film and Media Arts Festival, Tkaronto Music Festival, Tkaronto Productions and is the sole proprietor of Clickers Productions. She has spent the last three decades working in the Government and not-for-profit arts sector as the former Executive Director at the Association for Native Development in the Performing and Visual Arts, and the General Manager at Kaha:wi Dance Theatre where she gained valuable skills to take on her current position as the Executive Director at the Indigenous Performing Arts Alliance.
Alan Greyeyes Bio:
Alan Greyeyes is the Festival Director for the sākihiwē festival in Winnipeg. He volunteers as a board member for the Indigenous Music Office and Polaris Music Prize along with the Indigenous committee at the National Music Centre. In 2023, Alan received the Making a Difference award from the Winnipeg Arts Council and in 2020 he earned the Arts Award of Distinction from the Manitoba Arts Council. Alan is a member of the Peguis First Nation.
Special Open Jam Session!
hosted by Eekwol, Saturday, May 24 at 10 p.m. (CST)
Date: Saturday, May 24, 10 p.m.
Location: Amigos Cantina, 806 Dufferin Ave, Saskatoon SK
Time: 10 p.m. - 1:15 a.m.
Hosted by Eekwol who will be opening the night with a short performance, the event will feature members of the Indigenous Music Series performing at an Open Jam Session! To round out the evening, Big Tones will also be performing!
For more information, visit the event page!
This program is made possible through the support of FACTOR (The Foundation Assisting Canadian Talent on Recordings), the Government of Canada, and Canada's private radio broadcasters, and Creative Saskatchewan.
We thank the Saskatchewan Indigenous Music Association (SIMA) and members of SaskMusic's Indigenous Advisory for their guidance towards this program.
