NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE—Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory (WUT) music superstar Crystal Shawanda has released a new single, ‘The Rez,’ collaborating with the award-winning band Sultans of String, to have a single included on their latest album.
“I wrote the song previously that will be on the Sultans of String’s upcoming album,” said Ms. Shawanda. “I’ve known them for quite awhile now and worked with them on a Christmas song, ‘The Human Carol.’ They asked me if I wanted to work with them on their new album. They are wonderful people and musicians and I told them I would love to collaborate with them.
“They are doing an album featuring Indigenous musicians.”
“The Rez” is the fourth single off the upcoming Sultans of String album Walking Through the Fire (scheduled for a September 22, 2023 release), the most ambitious and important project of their career, a CD and concert of collaborations with First Nations, Metis and Inuit artists across Turtle Island.
“I submitted the song The Rez which didn’t quite make it on one of my previous albums,” said Ms. Shawanda. “I have always loved this song. The song is about being proud of my roots. Sometimes people will talk about the tough parts of living and growing up on the Rez, but I feel blessed to have been born and raised in Wiikwemkoong, with all the good and bad points.”
One verse in the song says, “It’s my blood, it’s my tears, Everyone I love is here, yeah I know in my heart I was blessed, to grow up on the Rez.”
Ms. Shawanda wrote The Rez with Ed Hill and Shay Smith, “and it came out of the stories I had shared with them, when they asked me what it was like growing up on a reserve,” she explained on a website post. “They said, ‘that sounds like a song!’ and from there it came together pretty quick!”
“I’m very proud of my roots, proud to be a ‘Rez kid,’” she continued. “I grew up around intergenerational trauma, but that’s not all I remember. I can’t speak for everyone’s experience, but in mine I remember my beautiful family that surrounded me with love and showed me that laughter, like music, can be medicine. I remember my community, so resilient and strong. We have all been through so much, but we’re still here.”
Studios were used throughout Ontario to record this track. Ms. Shawanda’s vocals were recorded with the Grammy and Juno award-winning John ‘Beetle’ Bailey at Orange Lounge Recording Studio in Toronto.
“Along with releasing their new album, they are also touring this fall,” said Ms. Shawanda. “They asked me if I wanted to join them on their tour, but my schedule would not allow for this.”
Ms. Shawanda pointed out another First Nation group that will appear on the new Sultans of String album will be the band ‘The North Sound.’ I was able to help get them together to talk to the Sultans about their album and my husband and I helped produce their song for the album.”
