Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 56:11 — 38.6MB) | Embed
In his newest album, “Waiting for a Sign,” Hitaałiinez Wheeler (Diné), better known as ‘Hitaałii,’ takes listeners through Navajo country with his signature hazy and dreamy aesthetic. Sierra Kihega (Otoe-Missouria and Keetoowah Cherokee), who goes by Sierra Spirit, released new singles from her forthcoming collection of indie pop songs, “cointoss,” about personal growth. We’ll talk with these Indigenous artists about their new tunes to add to your Native Playlist.
Break 1 Music: Ghost [Stripped] (song) Sierra Spirit (artist)
Break 2 Music: Mr. Businessman’s Blues (song) DM Lafortune (artist) Beauty and Hard Times (album)
I was chuffed when a friend of mine sent me this link about Hataalii saying I might like his music. I’m actually the person that introduced Hataalii to my friends with music connections in Taos. When I was on Instagram I used to follow Hataalii’s father on Instagram. One day he posted one of his songs on IG and I was impressed. I was into the vinyl record forums, people who post their records on IG. His dad asked me if there was a way to get Hataalii’s latest album, Painting Portraits, pressed to vinyl. I asked my friends Lauren Green and Marisa Macias of Tan Cologne who both self produce their own music through their label Psychic Sink and promote it through the Labrador label. They crowd sourced a limited run of 100 record through a vinyl plant in Michigan, the name now slips my mind.
Anyway a friend of mine who works closely with the Dangerbird label out of Los Angeles bought one of those records and turned the label owners on to Hataalii. We are a small group of music lovers in Taos and this is how Hataalii got picked up on Dangerbird.
Hataalii is a force of nature and most likely would have found an outlet sooner or later for his music. I am humbled by this small role in his success.
Robert Stewart, Taos, New Mexico.