Shakti Hayes has been a professional musician, songwriter and performer for over 15 years. She has toured and performed with over a dozen musical groups providing backup vocals, bass and/ or rhythm guitar accompaniments. Some of her most notable contributions are playing, performing & touring with The Badd Dog Blues Society, George Leach, singing with Juno nominated & C.A.M.A. Award winning aboriginal women’s vocal ensemble Nitsiwakun (Sandy Scofield and Lisa Sazama), singing one duet and lent backup vocals on a few tracks on Wayne Lavallee’s Juno nominated album ‘Green Dress’ while providing bass and backup vocals during his live performances.
In 2006, Shakti went from back up musician to a multi-award nominated solo artist. A position she is clearly comfortable with upon hearing her debut album ‘Touchwood Hills’. Her debut album weaves her influences together with a long-standing oral tradition, setting her own personal stories to powerful music. On the title track, she sings about the journey back to the reserve where her mother was born and raised, and her discovery there of a family and history she didn’t know she had. In ‘Buffalo Drop’, the story of a brother who died young is set against the backdrop of her peoples ancestral hunting grounds in the Qu’Appelle Valley. ‘Touchwood Hills’ received nominations for ‘Best Folk Album’ at both the 2007 Native American Music Awards & the 2007 Indian Summer Music Awards. ‘Touchwood Hills’ also received a nomination at the 2006’s First People’s Choice Music Awards in the Best Producer category.
In 2008, Shakti has been featured on ‘The Mix’ & ‘Rez Blues 2’on the APTN channel (Canada) & Interviewed on Native American ‘Live’ w/ Albert. R. Cata (U.S.national radio). A notable ‘Pit Floor’ performance at the 25th Annual Gathering of Nations Pow Wow in April. In 2007, she has been featured on ‘First Talk’ with Tamara Bull, on ‘Primetime News’with Donna Smith, ‘Beyond Words’ on the APTN channel. She has also performed & interviewed on NCI Radio (Winnipeg) & REZERVATIONS w/ Dawn Karima (Albuquerque) radio shows, among others.
Shakti writes songs that are as evocative as they are unpredictable...songs that get into the listener’s head and heart, and stay there. Joy, raw pain, healing memory...when Shakti Hayes sings, she bears her soul ~ and people listen.
