Photo Credit: David McDonald.
Adrian Sutherland is “down south” from Attawapiskat all this week, leading up to his album release on Friday March 15th. It's his first Toronto performance in nearly two years – it takes place at The Cameron House on Thursday, March 14th. Adrian’s sophomore album “Precious Diamonds” drops on March 15th.
Born and raised in Canada’s Far North, Adrian Sutherland is a roots-rocker-with-heart from Attawapiskat First Nation. His melding of rock, roots, folk and blues draws inspiration from his life, the land, and his Cree culture, with songs that ripple far beyond stages.
“Precious Diamonds,” Adrian’s second solo album was produced in Nashville by Colin Linden, and mastered in New Jersey by Greg Calbi and Steve Fallone (Sterling Sound). Adrian and Colin first worked together, remotely, in 2021. Cut off from the rest of the world during global pandemic, Adrian constructed a recording studio inside a shipping container to stay active in his music career. One of his projects was recording his debut solo album.
Released to critical acclaim in 2021, “When The Magic Hits” earned nominations at the 2022 JUNO Awards and the 2023 Canadian Folk Music Awards. Title track Magic Hits won Best Music Video from San Francisco’s 47th American Indian Film Festival, while Scared reached numder 1 on the internationally-recognized Indigenous Music Countdown.
In addition to a musician, Adrian is a respected cultural leader and traditional knowledge keeper who is fluent in Omushkegowuk Cree. He is writing a book for Penguin Random House Canada about being born and raised in Attawapiskat. Adrian cares deeply about many causes, with first-hand perspective on issues like contaminated water, food insecurity, and mental health. At this time of reconciliation, he is hopeful for Canadians to walk together in love and respect.
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