Page 11 - BiTS_03_MARCH_2023

CRYSTAL SHAWANDA — SPARKLES AROUND MIDNIGHT

By Lawrence Lebo

Juno Award-winning Indigenous Canadian Crystal Shawanda.
The talented soprano roots singer/songwriter is definitely all
that and much more!

Born in Wiikwemkoong First Nation, on Manitoulin Island, in
Northern Ontario, Crystal was introduced to the blues by her
eldest brother and to old-time country by her parents. She’s

left behind a successful career as a Country artist.
In her early 20s Shawanda signed a U.S. record
deal with RCA Nashville. Her 2008’s album
Dawn of a New Day, featuring the single
“You Can Let Go,” reached No. 1 on the
Canadian Country Album chart and No. 16
on the Billboard Top Country Albums, and
was the highest charting album by a
full-blooded Canadian Indigenous
country artist.

The following year she left RCA and
created her own label called New Sun
Records. Her first release was the holiday
album I’ll Be Home For Christmas. Her next
country album was 2010’s Just Like You, which
won a 2013 Juno Award for Best Aboriginal

Album. Then Crystal made a switch to the blues
with her 2014 release The Whole World’s Got The
Blues. She followed with 2016’s Fish Out of Water,
2017’s Voodoo Woman, and 2020’s Church House
Blues, which won the 2021 Juno Award for Best
Blues album.

Crystal Shawanda’s latest release Midnight
Blues on True North Records features six
originals, co-written with Sonny Tackett or her
husband/collaborator Dewayne Strobel, and 4
covers, including a prism of styles and tempos that
nestle comfortably underneath the blues umbrella.
Production does its job well supporting
Shawanda’s vocals so they can shine and Crystal
sparkles with her powerful-yet-sultry approach.
If you love crossover blues-roots material as I

do, you will love Midnight Blues and Ms.
Shawanda.