Entertainment
“Watin actually started out as a series of conversations between myself and my grandfather...We spent the first year of the pandemic talking about things we’ve never spoke about, his life on the trapline on Sandy Lake First Nation, falling in love, his life in residential school and then leaving everything behind..we never spoke of it until now. Even though we were over 1,000 kilometres apart, it was probably the closest we’ve ever been.””
Two-time JUNO award winning artist Aysanabee is a multi-instrumentalist, producer and singer songwriter currently based in Toronto. He is Oji-Cree, Sucker Clan of the Sandy Lake First Nation a remote fly-in community in the far reaches of Northwestern Ontario.
Solemn and soaring, backed by a swirling blend of indie, soul and electronic soundscapes, mournful saxophone and pulse-quickening finger-picking, Aysanabee’s striking sound is equal parts hypnotic and melodic which has been compared to Bon Iver, Matt Corby, Don Ross, Kim Churchill, Kings of Leon and Sam Smith.
His debut album, Watin (Nov. 2022) named after his grandfather, includes 10 tracks and nine interludes featuring the voice of his grandfather and is both part music and journalism, artistry and expression.
"Aysanabee's music is always powerful, but his newest EP is especially emotionally gutting."
- The Walleye -
In a year that witnessed numerous Indigenous artists earning JUNO nominations across various categories, Aysanabee won the coveted Songwriter of the Year (presented by SOCAN), as well as Alternative Album of the Year for Here and Now. He's the first Indigenous artist to win in either of those categories. He was also nominated for Contemporary Indigenous Artist or Group of the Year (presented by Destination Indigenous).
“To be seen, to be heard, to be recognized by my peers, by people who I have the deepest respect for, is humbling and it is a light that will help guide me as we continue to do the work, as we continue to push boundaries and as we continue to carry and tell the stories of our time,”