Cikwes facts for kids

Cikwes, whose real name is Connie LeGrande, is a talented Cree musician from Canada. She is well-known for her music and was nominated for a big award called the Juno Award in 2023. This nomination was for "Traditional Indigenous Artist of the Year" because of her 2022 album, Kâkîsimo ᑳᑮᓯᒧᐤ.

Connie is a member of the Bigstone Cree Nation. She lives and works in Edmonton, Alberta.

Her Music Journey

Cikwes released her first album, Isko, in 2018. This album was nominated for "Best Folk Album" at the 2019 Indigenous Music Awards.

A Discussion About Culture

After her album Isko was released, there was a discussion among musicians. Some artists, like Tanya Tagaq and A Tribe Called Red, raised questions about Cikwes's use of throat singing on her album. They felt it was important to talk about how different cultures share and use traditional art forms.

Cikwes explained her side of the story. She said that throat singing is a type of vocal music found in many cultures around the world, not just among the Inuit people. She also stated that she was not trying to copy the specific Inuit style of throat singing.

The director of the awards, Lisa Meeches, also shared her thoughts on the topic. Even with the discussions, Cikwes's nomination for the award remained. This event started a wider conversation about respecting and understanding cultural traditions in music.