The most recent visit by Canada’s national orchestra to Eskasoni First Nation saw Mi’kmaw singer-songwriter Emma Stevens as a young volunteer at the event. Fast forward almost a decade, and the 23-year-old artist will now be showcasing her original music alongside the esteemed National Arts Centre Orchestra as they kick off their 100th tour.
Reflecting on the upcoming performance, Stevens expressed her excitement about sharing the richness of Mi’kmaw culture through music and language. She gained global recognition in 2019 when her Mi’kmaw-language rendition of the Beatles’ “Blackbird” caught the internet by storm. The song, translated by Katani Julian and Albert Golydada Julian and produced by Stevens’ music teacher Carter Chiasson, garnered over 1.9 million views on YouTube. Even Paul McCartney himself praised her rendition during a concert in Vancouver, calling it “beautiful” and admitting to feeling nervous about performing his own version afterward.
Since her viral success, Stevens has been actively using her platform to address important Indigenous issues, including language preservation and advocating for missing and murdered Indigenous women. She emphasized the importance of reconnecting with her Mi’kmaw roots, noting her recent achievement of composing a song entirely in Mi’kmaw for the first time.
Despite facing challenges in maintaining her Mi’kmaw fluency due to English-language education, Stevens expressed her joy at performing two songs during the orchestra’s tour in Nova Scotia. She plans to showcase her Mi’kmaw version of “Blackbird” and “The Ballad of Shubenacadie,” an original piece co-written with Chiasson that delves into the history of the Canadian residential school system.
Joining Stevens on the tour is Wolastoqiyik composer and singer-songwriter Jeremy Dutcher, a Tobique First Nation member and two-time Polaris Music Prize winner. Dutcher, who received the 2025 NAC Award at the Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards, praised Stevens and highlighted the celebration of music, language, and resilience that the audience can expect during the orchestra’s performances.
Stevens expressed her admiration for Dutcher’s artistry and acknowledged his influence on her own work. Both artists are thrilled to collaborate and showcase the beauty of Indigenous music and storytelling through their performances. Dutcher credited his mentor, elder Maggie Paul from Peskotomuhkati Nation, for inspiring him to elevate traditional Indigenous music and expressed gratitude for the opportunity to have their songs and language highlighted by the NAC Orchestra in their homeland.
The collaboration between Stevens, Dutcher, and the orchestra promises to be a profound celebration of Indigenous culture through music and language, resonating with audiences in Eskasoni, Halifax, and Wolfville.
For more top stories, visit the provided source link.