Miranda Currie is continuing the trend of a now-buzzing Northwest Territories music scene as she will be performing at the Northern Arts and Cultural Centre on May 15 to promote the release of her new kids album.

Currie, a Mushkegowuk (Swampy Cree) resident of Yellowknife who bounced back following a significant brain-related injury in 2011, has put together her second childrenSA国际影视传媒檚 album, Tickling the Taiga, which she says will be a fun exploration into different genres of music and different Indigenous languages.

SA国际影视传媒淏ecause it is from a northern Indigenous lens,SA国际影视传媒� Currie said. SA国际影视传媒淚t includes (the) Wiilideh language, which is the language of the Yellowknives Dene First Nations.SA国际影视传媒�

The album also includes a bit of CurrieSA国际影视传媒檚 own Cree language and a song that will contain many Indigenous voices.

SA国际影视传媒淪A国际影视传媒橫ashi ChoSA国际影视传媒�, which is SA国际影视传媒渢hank you so muchSA国际影视传媒� in English,SA国际影视传媒� Currie said. SA国际影视传媒�(The song) has thank you in all different Indigenous languages across Canada.SA国际影视传媒�

Album development

The creation of the album occurred during December of 2020 where, despite the pandemicSA国际影视传媒檚 arrival three months down the line, recording and work would not be as delayed as some may think.

SA国际影视传媒淧eople who are familiar with studios might realize that you have sound booths and isolation booths,SA国际影视传媒� Currie said. SA国际影视传媒淪o it wasnSA国际影视传媒檛 actually, surprisingly, that hard to keep everybody isolated during that process.SA国际影视传媒�

Following completion of her album, Currie would have to two years until May 2022 before she could release her music for folks and fans to take in.

As far as actually writing and performing the music itself, Currie has to go through the critical view of kids who are all too happy to share their opinion.

SA国际影视传媒淭hey just tell you,SA国际影视传媒� she laughed. SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 like; SA国际影视传媒楧id you like that song?SA国际影视传媒� SA国际影视传媒楴ah? ItSA国际影视传媒檚 kind of boring.SA国际影视传媒橲A国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒淭heySA国际影视传媒檒l tell you right away,SA国际影视传媒� she continued. SA国际影视传媒淥r just from the reactions. Like if theySA国际影视传媒檙e not paying attention, youSA国际影视传媒檙e like; SA国际影视传媒極h, yeah, I gotta rework this song.SA国际影视传媒� So I really like that. That really honest opinion.SA国际影视传媒�

Financial challenges for creatives

Development aside, Currie addressed issues on the difficulties of not being able to perform live as releasing the album through digital media (or on its own) isnSA国际影视传媒檛 something that would be able to support her creative endeavours. Nor the endeavours of other musicians.

SA国际影视传媒淭he way the music system is set up, even though you spend a lot of money on recordings, you donSA国际影视传媒檛 really make money on recordings by selling an album,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淏asically, you have to put that on different playback places for free, like Spotify and whatever.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒�(But) musicians donSA国际影视传媒檛 really get money for that,SA国际影视传媒� she continued. SA国际影视传媒淪o, for every play that you have on Spotify, the artists gets 0.008 cents. So one-eight hundredth of a cent per play. So basically, youSA国际影视传媒檙e not making any money unless youSA国际影视传媒檙e performing.SA国际影视传媒�

For some perspective, if a song achieved one million streams on Spotify, the artist would receive $8,000 overall according to numbers provided by Currie.

Changing the narrative

All in all, Currie wants kids to have an engaging experience listening to her new album. However, she is also (in a more broadly cast net) looking to help in changing the narrative of how Indigenous peopleSA国际影视传媒檚 are viewed.

SA国际影视传媒淚 can use my skills, and abilities, and talents, and connections with kids, (as well as) being a goofball to write positive music for a new generation of kids that will come to appreciate and take pride in Indigenous culture and Indigenous peoples of Canada,SA国际影视传媒� Currie said. SA国际影视传媒淭hatSA国际影视传媒檚 what I can do.SA国际影视传媒�

Currie understands the loftiness of such a goal, but also says SA国际影视传媒測ou got to start somewhere.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒淲eSA国际影视传媒檙e trying to change the Indigenous narrative of Canada, we want everyone in Canada to hear these tunes and feel good about Indigenous culture in Canada,SA国际影视传媒� she said.