Welland, Ontario, native and singer Shawnee Kish has seen several successes over the past year.
She was recently in Hamilton for her fourth JUNO Awards nomination. But one constant is making sure to value her Six Nations heritage.
In addition to her multiple nominations, this year marks Kish’s third time being involved in the award ceremony. But she says it’s about more than recognition.
“Everybody's just getting together and laughing and having fun, and it's just such a joy to be there and to be included," she said. "I remember my first year, I was so incredibly nervous. And now I just feel relaxed, like I'm going to see friends, so we had a blast.”
Kish, whose Mohawk family hails from Six Nations of the Grand River, says there are several stereotypes that she’s had to overcome in the genre, whether that’s being Indigenous, a woman or member of the two-spirited lesbian community.
But her upcoming single, Ride at Dawn, is about bridging those divides and highlighting inclusion.
“It's a crazy time in the world, and so I wanted, I wanted a song that brings people together, that makes everybody feel included in the room when you're hearing it. So, I'm releasing new music, doing tons of shows, and working on my next album.”
It also marks close to one year since the debut of her first full-length album, Chapter 1, which includes some of those same themes like sexual identity and Haudenosaunee heritage that Kish has been pressured to hide away in the past. The album was Kish’s first dive into country music since she started out singing Shania Twain covers at 12 years old.
One of Kish's priorities is using her resources as an artist to advocate for the next generation of the First Nations.
“Where I feel the most important work is done in my career is defending indigenous youth and knowing just how important and powerful they are," she said. "I myself didn't get the opportunity to feel that way when I was younger.”
Kish adds that her personal and professional journey takes on new significance having recently become a mother.
“It does change my perspective. It holds me accountable for truly healing, not just saying I am, not just feeling and wanting that I am, but truly, truly wanting to be better for her. It made me, kind of, look deeper into what I struggle with and the things that I carry.”
One of the largest obstacles to overcome in her healing process was the death over Kish's dad when she was 10. Part of that journey was through music, with the 2024 single Dear Dad helping Kish come to terms with the loss years later.
"The safety was gone, and my life completely flipped upside down and changed entirely. And the safety in my world had gone with him, and so I was always grappling with how to express how I felt about that," she said. "It was hard to express, but it happened when I woke up at 3 a.m. and I just started writing, and I just had all of these things I had to say."
