Indigenous Sounds

Honouring the widely varied voices of modern Native and Indigenous music across the world, from pioneers like Robbie Robertson and Redbone to newer voices like The Halluci Nation and Xiuhtezcatl, this space aims to offer a soundtrack for discovery and reflection, but also to help amplify lesser-heard voices in the culture. In that spirit, here’s a series of playlists exploring the range of contemporary Indigenous music from around the globe. Styles vary as much as the people: rap, folk, rave-ready adaptations of traditional drum music, all present. And even when the politics aren’t clear or the sound explicitly rooted, there’s an overall feeling of steadfastness, of voices working hard to be heard.

For some artists, being Indigenous is about carrying on traditions; for others, it’s about creating new ones. The styles here vary widely: Artists like Snotty Nose Rez Kids and The Halluci Nation draw on modern trap and EDM, while the Polaris Prize-winning artist Lido Pimienta’s gently psychedelic spin on Colombian cumbia reframes traditional music in surprising, progressive ways. In some cases, politics are explicit: Listen to the gentle ’70s-style protest folk of Raye Zaragoza, or the confrontational raps of HellnBack. In others—like the indie-rock singer-songwriter Black Belt Eagle Scout—they’re implicit, more an ambient influence than a direct statement. In each case, you can hear artists reckoning with their identities, personal, cultural, and geographical—a project that bridges generations, traditions, and styles.

The musical contributions of Indigenous people are as varied as the people themselves. Take Israel Kamakawiwo’ole, whose sweet voice and ukulele carried messages of Hawaiian sovereignty. Or Lila Downs, whose efforts to preserve the Indigenous language and culture of Mexico and Latin America have made her as much of an activist as a singer. Or the early jazz vocalist Mildred Bailey, who always made a point of her Coeur d’Alene heritage. And like any identity, it can be worn lightly or on the sleeve, but it always comes up eventually. Here’s a collection of what we think are some of the most significant Indigenous artists in contemporary music, the heroes who bridged their own cultures with the mainstream.

Within Indigenous communities, stories are more than just tradition—they’re education and history, brought to life through their telling. The music of the artists featured here—hip-hop producer David Strickland, singer-songwriter Celeigh Cardinal, powwow and round dance group Northern Cree, electronic-pop experimenter Riit, and singer Nimkish—speaks to personal truths. Here, those artists tell the stories behind the songs that best represent them.