West Kelowna singer Kelly Margaret Derrickson won Best New Artist at the Indigenous Music Awards Friday, Sept. 11, 2015.
Image Credit: Contributed
September 15, 2015 - 9:00 PM
WEST KELOWNA - A local First Nation singer and songwriter has won Best New Artist at the Indigenous Music Awards in Winnipeg.
Kelly Margaret Derrickson, daughter of Grand Chief Ron Derrickson, beat out five other artists for the prestigious award on Friday, Sept. 11. Her debut album, Warriors of Love, was released in 2013 and includes songs that highlight her peoples’ struggle for independence.
“I wasn’t expecting to win,” she says. “I’m a little shocked still.”
The Indigenous Music Awards, formerly called the Aboriginal People’s Choice Awards, started roughly ten years ago to highlight musicians of aboriginal heritage. Winners are chosen based on the number of votes received online, and Derrickson says she’s grateful the local community was so willing to support her.
One of the songs on the album, Idle No More, was also nominated for Best Music Video. It was filmed in August 2013 in the Mojave Desert in California and co-produced by Tori Kyes of Plastick Media, her father Ron Derrickson and manager Robert Cooper. She describes it as an homage to her peoples’ struggle for independence.
“It’s really raw and authentic,” she says.
Derrickson also won a Coachella Valley Music Award for Best Country Artist this summer.
“It’s getting pretty hot,” she says of her success. “I’ve gotten lots of offers and jobs but I’m most excited that it will give me a bigger audience and let me rabble rouse a little bit. I’d like to continue to speak for my people and hopefully start making some changes.”
Derrickson will be perfoming live in Kamloops tomorrow, Sept. 16 at the Fashion Speaks B.C. show.
Warriors of Love can be purchased where music is sold or through her website.
To contact the reporter for this story, email Adam Proskiw at aproskiw@infonews.ca or call 250-718-0428. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.
News from © iNFOnews, 2015