By: Belle Riley Thompson
Posted: 12/26/2019 3:38 PM | Last Modified: 12/26/2019 9:17 PM
Kelly Fraser arrives on the red carpet at the Juno Awards in Vancouver on March, 25, 2018. The singer-songwriter has died at the age of 26. (Darryl Dyck / The Canadian Press files)
Kelly Fraser arrives on the red carpet at the Juno Awards in Vancouver on March, 25, 2018. The singer-songwriter has died at the age of 26. (Darryl Dyck / The Canadian Press files)
Artikle:
https://www.winnipegfreepress....Inuit singer-songwriter and activist Kelly Fraser has died. She was 26.
Fraser was living in Winnipeg. The circumstances of her death have not been announced.
Kelly Fraser sang and rapped in both English and Inuktitut. (Darryl Dyck / The Canadian Press files)
Kelly Fraser sang and rapped in both English and Inuktitut. (Darryl Dyck / The Canadian Press files)
Born in Sanikiluaq, Nunavut, Fraser grew a substantial following through her music, especially in the Arctic. Picking up the guitar at age 11 and forming her first band at 15, Fraser garnered fame in 2012 after her cover of a Rihanna song in Inuktitut went viral.
Fraser released her first album, Isuma, in 2014, and her second album, 2017's Sedna, was nominated for best Indigenous music album at the Juno Awards.
She was also a recipient of the 2019 Indspire Award.
Her musical style ranged from folk, contemporary pop, EDM and hip hop. Fraser sang and rapped in both English and Inuktitut. Her music was politically charged and created to speak both to Inuit and Qallunaat people (southerners), her website states.
The artist was transparent about her many personal struggles, including substance abuse and the loss of her father and others to suicide. Fraser strove to use "her pain as inspiration to make art that can positively impact other native youths," her website states.
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Fraser was passionate about shedding light on colonization and the generational effects it has had on Indigenous communities, as well as her own family. Fraser intended to use funds from the Indspire award for her third album, Decolonize, she said in a September interview with CBC.
Along with performing, Fraser taught songwriting, was a motivational speaker and helped organize projects to give underprivileged youth opportunities to learn creative and technical skills.
She had been studying at the Nicola Valley Institute of Technology in B.C., working to complete her degree in Indigenous studies. Fraser hoped to become a lawyer through the new Nunavut-based law program, her website states.
"Making music, singing, performing and teaching others is what I love," she said on her website. "It makes me happy and helps my own self-esteem, too. I want to do everything I can for a better Nunavut."
A GoFundMe has been started on behalf of Fraser’s family to support the costs associated with a memorial service, transportation and other basic needs. Donations can be made here.
belle.rileythompson@freepress.mb.ca
Viimased kommentaarid
Kommentaarid on kirjutatud EWR lugejate poolt. Nende sisu ei pruugi ühtida EWR toimetuse seisukohtadega.
Peter Kalm28 Dec 2019 19:10
Ma kirjutan tema kohta ka eesti keeles kuna nagu mina, ta oli ka nii huvitatud kanada vähemuste keeltest ja kuidas neid hoida siin elus ja see kindlasti teeks tema vaimule suurt rõõmu. Kelly oli eesti rahva sõber kes tundis suurt huvi minu raadiosaatest, Eesti Pop. Tal maitses Kalevi shokolaad ja kui ma õpetasin talle mõne eesti keelse sõna siis ta alati hääldas seda perfektselt. Kui ma tema hääldamist kiitsin ta ütles "It's because I speak Inuktitut". Ta oli väga huvitatud esinemisest Eestis ja ma võtsin ühendust sealsete muusikafestivalidega ja klubidega. Plaan oli teha seal mõne kontserdi järgmisel aastal.Kahjuks nende plaanidest ei tule enam midagi. Mis eelmine kommenteeria postitas on tõsi ja ka kurb. GoFundMe sai palju rohkem matuse kui albumi raha. Kanadas on paljud tublid artistid ja rahvas võiks neid rohkem hinnata kui nad on ikka elus. Puhka rahus kallis Kelly.
for love of music and people28 Dec 2019 17:33
The Juno-nominated performer balanced her own aspirations with the goal to inspire other Indigenous youth. A look at her career:
https://www.theglobeandmail.co...https://nunavutnews.com/nunavu...GoFundMe raised in one day 17x more for the funeral than her Kickstarter for her album.
Peter Kalm28 Dec 2019 10:43
I was so saddened to hear about Kelly's passing. I had known her for over 2 years. That may not seem like a long time but she became a good friend and I truly felt that I had known her for much longer. I first heard her music while searching for Nunavut talent for OpenBroadcaster. She had such a great voice and awesome stage presence. I finally got to meet her in person when she came to perform in Toronto for Indie Week. Kelly didn't know many people here at the time and I ended up as her one man road crew, helping her with concerts, keeping an eye on her merchandise and other items, filming her and driving her around Toronto in my car. Those of you who know this city also know how bad the traffic here can be so we spent quite a bit of time in the car and I got to know her very well. Because of my work with OpenBroadcaster, I got her music played on many radio stations. I also ended up helping Kelly with her Facebook page and website. I learned so much about the Indigenous music scene from her and she also introduced me to many great people. I was privileged to get to know her not just as a performer but also as a friend who she often confided in. There were 2 very different sides to Kelly, one public and the other private and I got to know both. I was with her when she laughed and also when she cried. I met her many times when she came here and saw many of her concerts. We had many lunches and dinners together. Kelly was so passionate about her language and culture, something that brought us together because of my own work with the preservation and promotion of my first language, Estonian. Kelly was a true warrior who was never afraid to express her opinions, regardless of what others would think. I truly loved her honesty. She also had such a big heart and was always thinking of others. I will miss her warm hugs, her bright smile and her awesome concerts. Rest in peace my dear friend.
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