Shawnee Kish has always known that music is medicine. What’s changed is the genre delivering it.
The Mohawk Two-Spirit singer-songwriter (Six Nations of the Grand River) has built her career on emotional honesty, fierce advocacy for LGBTQ2S+ communities, and a deep commitment to Indigenous youth. Now she’s channeling all of that into country music, and the result sounds, by her own description, like coming home.
“Country music has always been part of who I am,” she says. “I grew up surrounded by storytelling, community, and songs that spoke honestly about life. Country feels like coming home. It’s where I can be my most authentic self, both as a songwriter and as a person.”
That authenticity is rooted in experience and identity. Being Mohawk and Two Spirit isn’t something Kish puts on when she sits down to write. It’s simply who she is. “My identity isn’t something I put on when I write, it’s simply who I am,” she explains. “I hope my music reflects honesty, resilience, love, and belonging. Those are universal themes, but they’re deeply rooted in my own lived experience.”
Stepping into country music as a First Nations artist has come with both rewards and challenges. But Kish is quick to point out that Indigenous people have always had a place in the stories country music tells. “Being an artist allows me to bring my history and experiences into country music while showing that we’ve always been part of the story of the West,” she explains. “Our peoples influenced the culture, the horsemanship, the fashion, and the landscapes that country music celebrates. I’m proud to add an authentic Indigenous perspective to the genre.”
Her advocacy hasn’t changed with the genre shift. It’s grown. Kish has long championed LGBTQ2S+ communities and Indigenous youth through her music, and that mission is just as present in her country era. “Advocacy isn’t separate from my music; it’s part of who I am,” she says. “If someone hears one of my songs and feels a little less alone, or feels seen for the first time, then I’ve done what I set out to do.”
The healing element of her work runs deep. Kish speaks openly about music as a vehicle for processing grief, identity, loss, and the long road back to yourself. “We’re all carrying something,” she says. “I hope these songs remind people that healing isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about knowing you’re not alone.”
She counts Brandi Carlile, Shania Twain, and Crystal Shawanda among the artists whose stories and strength she leans on. The CCMA Board and Top of Country with Sirius XM have also been meaningful supporters as she steps into this new space.
New music is coming fast. Her next single, “Hold Me,” drops July 17, followed by more releases leading into an EP this fall. She’s also looking forward to taking these songs on the road.
But perhaps the most powerful thing Kish wants to do with this chapter is speak directly to the young Two-Spirit and Indigenous kids watching her. “I want them to know they never have to choose between who they are and what they dream of becoming,” she says. “Your identity is your strength, not something you have to hide. Your Two Spirit self makes you exactly what the world needs.”
She knows that road personally. “I want them to see somebody who not only lived through pain, heartache, and depression but became and still walks that road in becoming,” she says. “I want them to feel it in their hearts that they can also become who they are meant to in order to make this world a better place.”
Kish’s new music era is a testament to exactly that: becoming. And she can’t wait to share it.
Shawnee Kish’s next single, “Hold Me,” is out July 17. Follow her for updates on her upcoming EP this fall.
