The National Arts Centre (NAC) Orchestra is touring Nova Scotia, spotlighting Indigenous music and culture. Mi'kmaq singer-songwriter Emma Stevens will perform original music alongside the orchestra.
Stevens, known for her viral Mi'kmaq-language cover of The Beatles' "Blackbird," will perform the song as well as "The Ballad of Shubenacadie," a piece co-written with Carter Chiasson about the Canadian residential school system. She aims to highlight the Mi'kmaq language and culture for younger generations.
The tour also features Wolastoqiyik composer and singer-songwriter Jeremy Dutcher. Dutcher, a two-time Polaris Music Prize winner, aims to celebrate Indigenous melodies and resilience, fulfilling a dream to have traditional songs amplified by a symphonic ensemble.