Adrian Sutherland's roots rock are often inspired by the culture and history of his indigenous Canadian people.Singer/Songwriter/Guitarist Adrian Sutherland was born and raised in Canada’s far north, with his family members of the Indigenous Attawapiskat First Nation and living on James Bay. He grew up speaking in the Omushkegowuk Cree tongue.
“It kind of sets me apart from some of the other artists, that was one reason,” he says. “But honestly, I also wanted to do like an entire album in Cree. But the timing wasn’t right. We still ended up with two beautiful songs. For our Cree and Indigenous fan base I’ve built up over the years, it kind of says ‘Thank you, this is for you.’ And others can also learn about the language.”He adds that Cree is his first language, and spoke little to no English growing up.
“Those thoughts are both very much right. Streaming platforms do help an artist reach an audience far beyond what’s around them. It’s a tool,” he says. “Otherwise, there’s not a whole lot to . The payout is very, very minimal. I wish things were different. But I’m sure the payouts are much better if you’re like a Justin Bieber!”