JUNO-nominated musician Iskwé joins Creative Minds

This isn’t fake news – we are thrilled to announce that Winnipeg-born, Hamilton-based musician Iskwé has joined the lineup at AGO Creative Minds at Massey Hall on April 4.

Named one of “10 artists to watch in 2016” by CBC Music, Iskwé (pronounced iss-kway) weaves politically charged lyrics with a soulful mix of R&B, trip-hop and electronica that is uniquely her own. Of Cree/Dene and Irish descent, her sophomore album The Fight Within was released last fall and is nominated for Indigenous Music Album of the Year at this month’s JUNO Awards. You can hear her latest single, “The Unforgotten,” featuring Tanya Tagaq, here.

With her music, Iskwé sings her truth on the issues that she most believes in—protecting the Earth, calling attention to missing and murdered Indigenous women, and fighting for the rights of Canada’s Indigenous people today and of future generations.

“I'll continue writing songs to encourage my community to keep sharing stories. Our voices are important and our stories are real. I want people to know that we're here to stay, and I don't intend on being quiet about it,” Iskwé told CBC Music upon the release of her album.

With these stories informing her music and political expression, she’ll join internationally celebrated writer Salman Rushdie, provocative performance artist Andrea Fraser and award-winning filmmaker Charles Officer for ninety minutes of artful debate following her musical performance. Moderated by Anna Maria Tremonti, host of CBC’s The Current, we’re bringing these four incredible artists together in Toronto for one night to discuss the role art plays in uncovering truth in this age of misinformation and uncertain authority.

AGO Creative Minds at Massey Hall takes place in Toronto on April 4 at 8 pm and will be live-streamed at cbc.ca/arts and broadcast nationally on CBC Radio One. On sale now, tickets for AGO Creative Minds at Massey Hall are available through the Roy Thomson Hall box office, priced from $19.50 to $79.50. Tickets can be purchased here.

Check out this teaser courtesy of the CBC:

https://www.facebook.com/CBCArts/videos/1849843838372809/

A landmark partnership between the Art Gallery of Ontario, Massey Hall, CBC and Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity, Creative Minds is supported by Series Presenters Jonas and Lynda Prince, whose leadership inspired the development of the project. The semi-annual series aims to examine the present and imagine our futures through the eyes of some of the world’s most innovative and socially engaged artists, while celebrating the vitally important role their work plays in shaping our lives.

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AGO Creative Minds at Massey Hall