Aysanabee

Aysanabee performing at WOMEX in 2024

Aysanabee is an Oji-Cree singer-songwriter from Canada, whose debut album Watin was released in 2022.[1]

Background

A member of the Sandy Lake First Nation, he was born Evan Pang, with a non-inherited surname his mother chose in an attempt to protect him from anti-indigenous racism by portraying him to the community as Asian instead of indigenous, and raised in Kaministiquia, Ontario, outside of Thunder Bay.[2] He reclaimed his grandfather's surname, Aysanabee, as an adult.[1] He worked for a mining company as a teenager, later studying journalism and working as a digital content creator for CTV News.[2]

He played in various bands as a sideline, and began actively creating his own original music as an outlet during the COVID-19 pandemic.[3] He submitted his music to the International Indigenous Music Summit after making enough money on a cryptocurrency trade to cover the submission fee.[4] He was the first outside artist signed to Ishkōdé Records, a new label launched in 2021 by singer-songwriter Amanda Rheaume and ShoShonna Kish of the band Digging Roots.[2]

Career

Watin was released November 4, 2022.[5] Named for his grandfather's first name, the album features several recordings of his grandfather, recorded in phone conversations during the pandemic, as spoken interludes.[5] The album was preceded by the single "Nomads", which reached #1 on the CBC Music Top 20[6] and charted on the Canadian rock radio airplay charts, reaching #1 on the Alternative Rock chart in March 2023 and becoming the first indigenous Canadian artist ever to top that chart.[7]

CBC Music named Watin as one of the 22 best Canadian albums of 2022,[8] and "Nomads" as one of the ten best Canadian songs of the year.[9]

Aysanabee was a Juno Award nominee for Contemporary Indigenous Artist of the Year for Watin at the Juno Awards of 2023.[10] He performed "We Were Here (It's in My Blood)" at the live gala on March 13, backed by the traditional indigenous round dance group Northern Cree;[11] he also received praise for his performance outfit, a long jacket designed by Travis Shilling with feathers representing the Canadian Indian residential school gravesites.[7]

Watin was shortlisted for the 2023 Polaris Music Prize.[12]

He followed up in 2023 with the EP Here and Now.[13]

Discography

Year Album
2022 Watin
2024 Here and Now
2025 Edge of the Earth

Awards

Award Year Category Nominee / work Result Ref
Juno Awards 2023 Contemporary Indigenous Artist of the Year Watin Nominated [10]
2024 Here and Now Nominated [14]
Alternative Album of the Year Won
Songwriter of the Year "Alone", "Here and Now", "Somebody Else" Won
2026 Alternative Album of the Year Edge of the Earth Won [15]
Contemporary Indigenous Artist of the Year Won
Polaris Music Prize 2023 Album of the Year Watin Nominated [12]
Canadian Folk Music Awards 2026 Indigenous Songwriter of the Year Edge of the Earth Won [16]
Single of the Year "Edge of the Earth" Nominated [17]

References

  1. 1 2 Jonathan Ore, "Aysanabee's pandemic phone calls with his grandfather inspired his debut album". Unreserved, November 4, 2022.
  2. 1 2 3 Lynn Saxberg, "Meet Aysanabee, the first artist signed to Ottawa-based Indigenous label". Ottawa Citizen, November 4, 2022.
  3. ↑ Sarah Burke, "10 Indigenous artists to discover". Indie 88, August 9, 2022.
  4. ↑ Brennan Leffler & Mike Drolet, "‘Who is this guy?’: Aysanabee’s improbable path from crypto jackpot to Juno stage". Global News, March 11, 2023.
  5. 1 2 Calum Slingerland, "Aysanabee Details Debut Album 'Watin,' Shares Video for 'Nomads'". Exclaim!, September 12, 2022.
  6. ↑ "CBC Music Top 20 with Grant Lawrence". CBC Music, October 6, 2022.
  7. 1 2 "The story behind the gorgeous jacket Aysanabee wore at the 2023 Juno Awards". CBC Music, March 13, 2023.
  8. ↑ "The 22 best Canadian albums of 2022". CBC Music, November 21, 2022.
  9. ↑ "The top 100 Canadian songs of 2022". CBC Music, November 28, 2022.
  10. 1 2 "Here are all the 2023 Juno nominees". CBC Music, January 31, 2023.
  11. ↑ Danielle Paradis, "Aysanabee and Northern Cree play the 2023 Juno awards". APTN News, March 14, 2021.
  12. 1 2 "Here's the 2023 Polaris Music Prize short list". CBC Music, July 13, 2023.
  13. ↑ Megan LaPierre, "Aysanabee Announces 'Here and Now' EP, Shares 'Alone'". Exclaim!, September 6, 2023.
  14. ↑ "Junos 2024: full list of winners". CBC Music, March 23, 2024.
  15. ↑ Natalie Harmsen, Melody Lau, Holly Gordon, Kelsey Adams, "Junos 2026: full list of winners". CBC Music, Mar 28, 2026.
  16. ↑ "Here are your 2026 Canadian Folk Music Award winners". Roots Music Canada, April 12, 2026.
  17. ↑ Heather Kitching, "Here are your Canadian Folk Music Award nominees for 2025". Roots Music Canada, October 31, 2025.
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