Bryden Gwiss Kiwenzie facts for kids

Bryden Gwiss Kiwenzie is a Canadian musician. He is known for blending traditional Indigenous sounds with modern music. His first album, Round Dance & Beats (Powwow), was very popular. It was nominated for a Juno Award for Indigenous Music Album of the Year in 2017. It also received a nomination for Best Hand Drum Album at the 2017 Indigenous Music Awards.

About Bryden Gwiss Kiwenzie

Bryden Gwiss Kiwenzie was born in 1984. He has many Indigenous roots. These include Ojibwe, Odawa, Potawatomi, Delaware, Oneida, and Mi'kmaq ancestry. He grew up in places like Cape Croker, Ontario, and Indian Brook, Nova Scotia. Today, he lives in Sudbury, Ontario.

Early Life and Music Journey

Bryden grew up around pow wows. He started learning Northern Traditional dance when he was just two years old. By age four, he had already written his first song on a keyboard. When he was fourteen, he composed his first pow wow song. He has performed with traditional drum circles since he was a child. Later, he learned to play keyboards. This led him to explore modern dance music styles.

Round Dance & Beats (Powwow) Album

Bryden's album, Round Dance & Beats (Powwow), mixes old and new sounds. It combines traditional First Nations vocal chants. These are blended with modern hip hop and rhythm and blues dance beats. Bryden mixed the entire album using only his iPhone. He later received a grant to buy professional recording equipment.

Unlike some other artists, Bryden sings many of his own vocals. He does not often use samples of other singers. This album was a big success. It was nominated for the Juno Award for Indigenous Music Album of the Year in 2017. It was also nominated for Best Hand Drum Album at the 2017 Indigenous Music Awards.

Music Released

• Round Dance & Beats (Powwow) (2016)