Twin Flames (band)
Twin Flames | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | Ottawa, Ontario, Canada |
| Genres | First Nations, Inuit, Folk Rock |
| Years active | 2015–present |
| Website | www |
| Members | Jaaji Chelsey June Mike Giamberardino Troy Huizinga Jason Watts |
Twin Flames is a Canadian band from Ottawa, Ontario led by husband and wife Jaaji and Chelsey June,[1] whose music blends both First Nations and Inuit music with folk rock.[2] They have toured extensively across Canada, remote Arctic communities, Greenland, France, Australia, and the United States.[2]
History[]
Jaaji, whose background is Mohawk and Inuk, was raised in Quaqtaq, Quebec. Chelsey June, who is Métis of Cree and Algonquin heritage, is from Ottawa.[1] They were active solo artists for a year when they met at a live showcase for indigenous musicians sponsored by the APTN.[3] In 2015 after marrying and deciding to work together, they released their debut album Jaaji and Chelsey June.
Twin Flames won the Canadian Folk Music Award for Aboriginal Songwriter of the Year at the 12th Canadian Folk Music Awards in 2016.[4] In 2016 they also participated in a Mental Health Awareness tour of Nunavut.[5]
They followed up in 2017 with their second album, Signal Fire, and again won the Canadian Folk Music Award for Aboriginal Songwriter of the Year at the 13th Canadian Folk Music Awards.[6]
In 2018 the band received seven nominations for Signal Fire at the Native American Music Awards, the most nominations for a single musical act in the award's history. They won for Best Folk Recording and Duo of the Year.[7]
In 2019 they released the song "Human", UNESCO's official song to celebrate the International Year of Indigenous Languages.[8] The song was included in CBC Music's 2019 Canadian Music Class Challenge.[9]
In 2021 their cover of The Tragically Hip's "Grace Too" was featured in the second season of the CBC Television series TallBoyz.
Discography[]
- Omen (2020)
- Signal Fire (2017)
- Jaaji and Chelsey June (2015)
Awards and nominations[]
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Native American Music Awards | Best Group/Duo of the Year[10] | Nominated |
| Native American Music Awards | Pop Recording[10] | Nominated | |
| Native American Music Awards | Best Pop Video[10] | Nominated | |
| Native American Music Awards | Best Contemporary Vocal Video[10] | Nominated | |
| 2021 | Canadian Folk Music Awards | Indigenous Songwriter(s) of the Year | Nominated |
| Canadian Folk Music Awards | Vocal Group of the Year | Nominated | |
| Summer Solstice Indigenous Music Awards | Recording Artist of the Year[11] | Nominated | |
| Summer Solstice Indigenous Music Awards | Radio Song/Single of the Year[11] | Won | |
| Summer Solstice Indigenous Music Awards | Pop/Rock/Alternative Album of the Year[11] | Won | |
| Summer Solstice Indigenous Music Awards | Music in the Arts[11] | Won | |
| 2019 | Native American Music Association Awards | Best Indie Single of the Year[12] | Nominated |
| Native American Music Association Awards | Best Concept for a Music Video[13] | Won | |
| 2018 | Native American Music Association Awards | Best Folk Recording[7] | Won |
| Native American Music Association Awards | Duo of the Year[7] | Won | |
| Native American Music Association Awards | Record of the Year[7] | Nominated | |
| Native American Music Association Awards | Song of the Year[7] | Nominated | |
| Native American Music Association Awards | Best Music Video[7] | Nominated | |
| Native American Music Association Awards | Best Americana Recording[7] | Nominated | |
| Native American Music Association Awards | Best Historical/Linguistic Performance[7] | Nominated | |
| Indigenous Music Awards | Best Folk Album[14] | Nominated | |
| Indian Summer Music Awards | Folk Album of the Year[15] | Nominated | |
| Indian Summer Music Awards | Best Native American Vocal[15] | Nominated | |
| Indian Summer Music Awards | Pop Song of the Year[15] | Nominated | |
| 2017 | Canadian Folk Music Awards | Aboriginal Songwriters of the Year[16] | Won |
| Indigenous Music Awards | Best Folk Album[17] | Nominated | |
| Canadian Folk Music Awards | Vocal Group of the Year[18] | Nominated | |
| Canadian Folk Music Awards | World Group of the Year[18] | Nominated | |
| Independent Music Awards | Indigenous Artist/Group of the Year[19] | Nominated | |
| Teweikan Music Awards | Best Folk Band[20] | Nominated | |
| Teweikan Music Awards | Emerging Artists of the Year[20] | Nominated | |
| Teweikan Music Awards | Album of the Year[20] | Nominated | |
| 2016 | Canadian Folk Music Awards | Aboriginal Songwriters of the Year[3] | Won |
| Native American Music Awards | Best Folk Recording[21] | Nominated | |
| Native American Music Awards | Debut Duo of the Year[21] | Nominated | |
| Indigenous Music Awards | Best Folk Album | Nominated |
Band members[]
- Jaaji – lead vocals, guitar
- Chelsey June – lead vocals, spirit flute
- Mike Giamberardino – bass, synth
- Troy Huizinga – lead guitar, keyboard, background vocals
- Jason Watts – drums, background vocals
Family[]
Jaaji is the cousin of musician Beatrice Deer.[22]
References[]
- ^ a b "Twin Flames found a common musical language despite polar opposite backgrounds". Unreserved, May 27, 2016.
- ^ a b "Folk duo Twin Flames stranded in Rigolet, cancels part of Labrador tour". CBC News Newfoundland and Labrador, November 9, 2017.
- ^ a b "Twin Flames bring their warmth to Canadian Folk Music Awards". Ottawa Citizen, July 26, 2018.
- ^ "Canadian Folk Music Awards Announce 2016 Winners". Exclaim!, December 4, 2016.
- ^ "'Natural high:' Twin Flames on love and sobriety in the music scene". CBC North, September 10, 2016.
- ^ "Canadian Folk Music Awards Announce 2017 Winners". Exclaim!, November 20, 2017.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Ottawa's Twin Flames win big at Native American music awards". CBC News Ottawa, October 13, 2018.
- ^ "Twin Flames hope to use music to revitalize Indigenous languages, storytelling". CBC North, August 5, 2019.
- ^ "Canadian Folk Music Awards Announce 2017 Winners". CBC Music, June 18, 2019.
- ^ a b c d "2022 Native American Music Awards Nominees". Native American Music Association Awards, January 20, 2022.
- ^ a b c d "Ottawa acts nominated for Indigenous music awards". Ottawa Citizen Ottawa, May 12, 2021.
- ^ "NAMA 2019 Nominee Music By Category". Native American Music Association Awards, September 23, 2019.
- ^ "NAMA 2019 Nominated Music Videos". Native American Music Association Awards, September 23, 2019.
- ^ "Twin Flames". Indigenous Music Awards 2018.
- ^ a b c "Twin Flames rock the stage at Shell Theatre with Gord Downie tribute". Fort Saskatchewan Record, April 11, 2019.
- ^ "Results 2017". Canadian Folk Music Awards, 2017.
- ^ "Twin Flames". Indigenous Music Awards, 2017.
- ^ a b "Ottawa's Twin Flames up for three 2017 Canadian Folk Music Awards". Ottawa Sun, September 21, 2017.
- ^ "Canadian Music Week announces 2017 Jim Beam Indies with Indie88 nominees". Canadian Beats, March 27, 2017.
- ^ a b c "Les grands honneurs à la musique autochtone". La voix des premières nations, October 2017.
- ^ a b "Native American Music Awards 2016 Winners". Native American Music Awards, 2016.
- ^ "Nunavik’s Jaaji Uppik finds his voice". Nunatsiaq News, March 31, 2014.
External links[]
- Canadian folk rock groups
- First Nations musical groups
- Inuit musical groups
- Musical groups from Ottawa
- Canadian musical duos
- Canadian Folk Music Award winners