(Photos courtesy of Leela Gilday)
January 7, 2019
In the last seven months, Leela Gilday has travelled within Finland, Germany, Australia and Canada performing. So it’s no surprise that when her track K'eintah Natse Ju went to #1 on the Indigenous Music Countdown, she can’t recall where she was.
“I was so excited. I called my husband and my parents right away. That countdown is based on the number of requests from a number of radio stations that play Indigenous music so it tells me that that song resonates with people,” Gilday says.
K'eintah Natse Ju, which translates to ‘we are healing together’, is one track from Gilday’s acclaimed new album North Star Calling, released this past September. The record is a meditation on “facing your fears, standing in the pain, and living with courage, boldness and joy” and discusses difficult topics like suicide and racism.
Over Gilday’s 20 year career, accolades have stacked up. She’s performed on stages around the world and has taken home a Juno as well as Western Canadian Music Awards. Her music has hit number one on the Indigenous Music Countdown multiple times and she recently represented Canada at the World Music Expo – the largest expo in the world of which only two musicians from Canada are selected. The list of successes is long, but Gilday isn’t too interested in talking about them.
“My musical progress is a journey for me,” she explains. “There are definitely accomplishments I wish to achieve but that’s not the primary driver. This album really represents a renewal, pushing my own boundaries, and constantly seeking to expand.”
The timing of North Star Calling echoes those sentiments. While the industry norm is to churn out a new album every two years, North Star Calling comes five years after her previous record Heart of the People.
“I took a real critical look at why I’m releasing my record. The only real reason would have been business. For me, it’s more important to say important things and connect with people. This album is searingly honest and very vulnerable and I don’t think I would have had the capacity to do that if I pushed myself to do that for business reasons.”
With the rise of music streaming services and social media marketing, Gilday discovered that the business model of the music industry had changed since she released her last album. “That’s where SEED has been a lifesaver,” she says.
With support through ITI’s Support for Entrepreneurs and Economic Development (SEED) program, Gilday was able to hire a publicist and tackle online marketing through social media and her revitalized website. She was also able to attend music conferences – where networking and bookings with festival promoters happens; and shoot a music video for her track Falling Stars, which has been dubbed Gilday’s love song for the Denendeh.
Aptly, the video was filmed in the NWT, including the Weledeh (Yellowknife) River and day use area, frozen lakes and even the outdoor cliff side where Gilday was married. The video follows the story of two young people at a crossroads about whether or not to stay together. “It’s semi-autobiographical,” Gilday says with a laugh.
Gilday also made a point to hire local. Yellowknife’s Amos Scott produced the video while K’a Nahkeko and Ora Williamson Mercredi starred in it.
“We have a lot of skill here. The more you work in the North and work with the people that are here, the more we develop. Any time I get the chance to work with professionals here I jump at the chance,” she says.