Over the weekend, Alternative-Indie musician Aysanabee marked a pinnacle in his career with two HISTORIC JUNO wins. Additionally, he graced the official broadcast with a performance alongside his recent tour companion, Allison Russell, paying tribute to Gordon Lightfoot and Robbie Robertson.
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,” shares Aysanabee.
On Sunday evening, Aysanabee and Allison Russell began their gorgeous tribute performance with a delicately nuanced rendition of Gordon Lightfoot’s “If You Could Read My Mind.” They were then joined by Julian Taylor, Logan Staats, Shawnee Kish, and William Prince, creating an electrifying rendition of Robbie Robertson’s “The Weight.” The Rainbow Coalition ensemble, including Elenna Canlas, Caoimhe Hopkinson, Ganessa James and Caoi de Barra, provided additional musical support.
