She Carries the Song

She Carries the Song brings together three powerful Indigenous women artists—Celeigh Cardinal (Cree), Mimi O'Bonsawin (W8banaki), and Lacey Hill (Oneida/Mohawk)—for an intimate performance weaving voice, story, and song into a shared circle of strength and connection.

Rooted in their distinct Nations and musical traditions, the artists carry the songs of their ancestors, their homelands, and their own lived experiences as women, culture bearers, and changemakers. The performance celebrates resilience, reclamation, and spirit through soaring harmonies, honest storytelling, and deep reverence for tradition.

Celeigh Cardinal is an award-winning Cree singer-songwriter whose soulful voice and honest storytelling have earned national and international acclaim. Her 2024 album Boundless Possibilities—which explores grief, spiritual growth, and personal sovereignty—won the 2024 Songwriter of the Year Award at the Western Canadian Music Awards for its centrepiece track "Light of the Moon." The album received two JUNO nominations in 2025 (Adult Contemporary Album of the Year and Contemporary Indigenous Artist of the Year), two Canadian Folk Music Award nominations, and was submitted for Grammy consideration. Her 2017 debut Everything and Nothing at All won Indigenous Artist of the Year at the 2018 Western Canadian Music Awards; her follow-up Stories from a Downtown Apartment (2019) earned her a JUNO Award for Indigenous Artist of the Year in 2020. She has toured extensively across North America and Europe, performing at venues including Expo 2020 Dubai, Ireland's Your Roots Are Showing, UK Americana, and Germany's Reeperbahn Festival.

Mimi O'Bonsawin is a contemporary roots singer-songwriter born in Northeastern Ontario of French Canadian and Abenaki descent; she is a member of Odanak First Nation. Her music—blending acoustic instrumentation with pop-infused melodies and layered percussion—is grounded in rhythm, story, and spirit, embracing nature, identity, and connection. Often performing with her husband and percussionist Ryan Schurman, she creates a full-band experience in an intimate duo setting. In 2024, she released her first live album Live in Concert and toured internationally, including performances at Australia's Woodford Folk Festival and Cygnet Folk Festival. Her 2023 album Boréale is her first full-length French-language recording, recorded with Schurman. She has opened for artists including Aysanabee, The Good Lovelies, The East Pointers, DJ Shub, and Beverly Glenn-Copeland. Between 2023 and 2024, she earned nominations from Folk Music Ontario Awards, Capital Music Awards, Canadian Folk Music Awards, Northern Ontario Music & Film Awards, Native American Music Awards, and Prix Trille Or. Both Willow and Live in Concert were considered for Grammy nominations. She received the 2019 Indigenous Music Award for Best Pop Album.

Lacey Hill is a Six Nations Oneida singer-songwriter whose music blends soul, folk, and heart. A self-taught artist, Hill has released a trilogy of deeply personal albums and performed across Canada and internationally. Her latest record, 528 Vol II: The Moon (2022), continues her exploration of personal and spiritual themes.