DON’T MISS THE MAIN EVENT WITH
LIDO PIMIENTA, PIERRE KWENDERS, QUANTUM TANGLE, LYDIA KÉPINSKI, MATT COMEAU, SOLEIL LAUNIÈRE, YOUNG FEATHER SINGERS, VILDÃ
Winner of the prestigious 2017 Polaris Music Prize for her album La Papessa, Lido Pimienta is a Canadian singer with Afro-Colombian indigenous roots. Her music blends electronic sounds with synth pop and traditional percussion, while her lyrics cover topics ranging from the patriarchy to the global water crisis. An outstanding voice and an unsettling composure.
Pierre Kwenders is a popular Afro-Quebecois artist whose pop incursions incorporate festive, sensual rhythms, mixing in electronic sounds, a strong African influence and a West Coast old-school hip hop vibe. His second album, Makanda at the End of Space, the Beginning of Time was shortlisted for the 2018 Polaris Music Prize
Greyson Gritt, Tiffany Ayalik
and Kayley Mackay draw from their respective Anishinaabe-Metis and Inuit backgrounds to create a fusion of blues riffs and traditional throat singing wrapped in haunting melodies and a percussive landscape. Quantum Tangle‘s first EP was picked Indigenous Music Album of the Year at the 2017 Junos.
In addition to making the long list for the Polaris Music Prize, Lydia Kepinski took home the award for Pop Album of the Year at the GAMIQ Awards and was nominated in six categories at the ADISQ ceremony. She is known for her irony and candour, and her vocals are backed by plenty of electric guitar and catchy pop hooks.
His is a warm yet powerful voice, perfectly suited to the blues rock he has been playing these past few years. Matt Comeau hails from Elsipogtop, New Brunswick and has received considerable airplay on SiriusXM’s Canadian Indigenous Peoples’ Radio with recent cuts Witness and Did You Wrong.
Young Feather Singers is a band of young drummers from the Atikamekw community of Wemotaci. They earned raves from the public last year at the La Noce Festival, and now YFS will add their particular sounds to the varied ambiances of the Nikamotan MTL – nicto show.
Innu from Mashteuiatsh, on the shores of Lake Pekuakami, Soleil Launière lives and works in Tiöhtià :ke (Montreal). She is a multifaceted artist who blends singing, movement, theatre and performance art, intertwining the presence of the two-spirit body and experimental audiovisual elements. For inspiration, she draws from Innu cosmogony and the sacred spirit of animals.
Last but not least, Finnish duo VILDà will bring their mix of mystical yoik songs, swinging rhythms and improvisation. With their contemporary pop and Finnish folk influences, Hildá and Viivi’s music transports us to the northern hills, where the Sámiland winds blow.
Nikamotan written by Xavier Hebert
