Things are really starting to come together for the release of my new album. And, yes, we’ve settled on a name for this collection of songs – a name that was recently endorsed by Elders Dr. Reg and Rose Crow Shoe of Piikani First Nation in southern Alberta. These two wonderful Elders also inspired and endorsed the name of my debut album, Cluster Stars, as well as pushed me to write songs that promote unity and understanding among people of all backgrounds. 

So with that, I proudly present the title of my new album, Aurora 12. 

Aurora 12 is a collection of new songs, along with a few traditional Christmas songs, created in collaboration with Juno Award winning producer Chris Burke-Gaffney and long-time friend and former bandmate Rob Ing of Airdrie, Alberta. Indigenous Music Hall of Famer Vince Fontaine is also providing creative support to the project. Special thanks to photographer Ramsey Kunkel, who stood over me in the freezing water of the Elbow River to capture some great art for this album. 

There are so many other people I am grateful to who played a role in the creation of this album. Like many starving artists, we rely on friends, family and our funders. In this case, the Alberta Foundation for the Arts – helped make this project possible. 

We hope you find the songs of Aurora 12 as colourful and awe-inspiring as the name implies. Each of the 12 songs are grounded in the inherent beauty of earth, air, fire and water – the four elements – representing the number (4) that is both sacred and natural for many Indigenous peoples. 

In that spirit, we’re focusing on the release of the first four songs in the weeks to come and will stagger the release of other songs leading into the Christmas season. We hope these songs bring light, comfort and joy to you leading up to this festive season!