Debora Iyall facts for kids

Debora Kay Iyall (born April 29, 1954) is a talented Cowlitz Native American artist and singer. She was the lead singer for the popular new wave band Romeo Void. Her family's last name, Iyall, comes from an ancestor named Iyallwahawa.

Early Life and Activism

Debora Iyall was born in 1954 in Soap Lake, Washington. She grew up in Fresno, California. She is an official member of the Cowlitz Indian Tribe.

When she was fourteen, in 1969, Iyall joined the Occupation of Alcatraz. This was a protest where Native Americans occupied Alcatraz Island to bring attention to Native American rights. She stayed there for six days. She hoped to connect with other Native American activists.

Music Career with Romeo Void

While studying at the San Francisco Art Institute, Debora Iyall helped form the band Romeo Void in 1979. She started the band with Frank Zincavage and Peter Woods.

Romeo Void became known for updating the punk sound. Debora Iyall's powerful, almost spoken singing style was also very unique. In 1982, their song "Never Say Never" became a big hit on college radio stations.

In 1984, their song "A Girl in Trouble (Is a Temporary Thing)" reached the top 40 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart. This led to them appearing on Dick Clark's American Bandstand TV show.

Solo Albums and Art Career

Romeo Void broke up in 1985. The next year, Iyall released her first solo album, Strange Language. It was released by Columbia Records.

After this, Iyall went back to her first passion: art. She became an artist and an art instructor. During the 1990s, she taught art at the 29 Palms Cultural Center. She also taught for the Arts Council for San Bernardino.

She also led nature walks and gave presentations for the Agua Caliente Cultural Museum. In 1995, she started Ink Clan. This was a print shop that taught screen printing and other arts to young Native artists. Ink Clan was once located in the South of Market Cultural Center in San Francisco.

Today, Debora Iyall lives in New Mexico with her husband, Patrick Haight. He is an audio engineer and instructor.

Since 2009, Iyall has been performing new music. She writes these songs with Peter Dunne. In 2010, her second solo album, Stay Strong, came out. In January 2012, she released an EP (a shorter album) called Singing Until Sunrise. On November 2, 2019, Debora Iyall received a Lifetime Achievement Award. This was at the 19th Annual Native American Music Awards.

In 2023, Iyall appeared on the Netflix children's show Spirit Rangers. She played the Great Cowlitz Sa'mn Spirit in an episode called "Salmon, Where are You?".

Discography

• Strange Language (1986)
• Stay Strong (2010)
• Singing Until Sunrise (2012)