Kelly Fraser
{{Use Canadian English|date=May 2024}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{short description|Inuk Canadian female singer-songwriter in Inuktitut from Nunavut}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=December 2019}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Kelly Fraser
| image =Kelly Fraser and her band The Easy Four.jpg
| image_size =
| caption =Kelly Fraser and her band The Easy Four around 2013
| birth_date = August 8, 1993
| birth_place = Igloolik, Nunavut, Canada
| death_date = {{death date and age|2019|12|24|1993|08|08}}
| death_place = Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| genre = {{hlist|Inuit Traditional|pop}}
| instruments = {{hlist|Vocals|guitar|keyboards}}
| years_active = 2010–2019
| label = Hitmakerz
| website = {{url|https://web.archive.org/web/20200121143413/https://www.kellyfrasermusic.com/|https://www.kellyfrasermusic.com/}}
}}
Kelly Fraser (August 8, 1993 – December 24, 2019){{cite news|url=https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/powerful-singer-brought-inuit-culture-to-world-566526642.html |title=Powerful singer brought Inuit culture to world|last=Sinclair|first=Niigaan|date=2019-12-27|accessdate=2019-12-30|work=Winnipeg Free Press}} was a Canadian Inuk pop singer and songwriter, whose second album, Sedna, received a Juno Award nomination for Indigenous Music Album of the Year at the Juno Awards of 2018.{{cite news |url=https://nunatsiaq.com/stories/article/65674juno_nominations_shines_a_light_on_nunavut_performers/ |title=Juno nominations shine a light on Nunavut performers |publisher=Nunatsiaq News |date=February 6, 2018 |access-date=February 13, 2018 |archive-date=August 24, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180824053002/https://nunatsiaq.com/stories/article/65674juno_nominations_shines_a_light_on_nunavut_performers/ |url-status=live}}
Life and career
Born in Igloolik, Nunavut, Fraser moved with her family at a young age to Sanikiluaq. She was educated at Nunavut Sivuniksavut in Ottawa before completing an indigenous studies program at the Nicola Valley Institute of Technology in British Columbia.{{cite web|url=https://nunatsiaq.com/stories/article/65674nunavuts_kelly_fraser_offers_upbeat_pop_on_serious_issues/ |title=Nunavut pop star's new album is heavy on beats, rhymes and life|first1=Sarah|last1=Rogers|publisher=Nunatsiaq News|date=April 20, 2017|access-date=February 13, 2018|archive-date=August 14, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180814130127/https://nunatsiaq.com/stories/article/65674nunavuts_kelly_fraser_offers_upbeat_pop_on_serious_issues/ |url-status=live}} Nunavut Sivuniksavut launched in 1985 and is Canada's oldest and first Inuit post-secondary program,{{cite web|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/nunavut-government-funding-cut-sivuniksavut-1.5055336|title='Slap in the face': Nunavut government cuts funding to Inuit college|date=March 14, 2019|first1=Nick|last1=Murray|publisher=CBC News|website=cbc.ca|accessdate=2020-08-24}} where Inuit youth learn about the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement.{{cite web|url=https://nunavutsivuniksavut.ca/about-us#history-of-ns |title=About Us - History of NS|website=Nunavut Sivuniksavut|accessdate=May 28, 2024|archive-date=January 21, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240121153409/https://nunavutsivuniksavut.ca/about-us#history-of-ns |url-status=live}}
File:Kelly Fraser and her band on stage.jpg
Fraser first attracted widespread attention in 2013 with a series of Inuktitut covers of pop songs, most notably Rihanna's "Diamonds", on YouTube.{{cite news| url=https://globalnews.ca/news/6347384/kelly-fraser-cause-of-death-suicide/ |title=Inuk singer Kelly Fraser died by suicide amid 'hard' fight with PTSD, family says|publisher=Global News|first1=Josh K.|last1=Elliott|date=December 30, 2019|accessdate=2019-12-30}} She released her debut album, Isuma, in 2014. Her songs include Inuktitut and English language, and musically, combine contemporary pop with traditional Inuit sounds. Fraser was dedicated to sharing Inuit culture with a widespread audience and raising awareness of present-day issues and Inuit rights; many of these themes feature heavily in her music.{{cite web |last1=Blake |first1=Emily|date=September 30, 2018|access-date=May 28, 2024 |title=Indspire winner Kelly Fraser has a lot to say |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/kelly-fraser-indspire-award-1.4843009 |publisher=CBC News}}{{cite news |title=Inuit musician Kelly Fraser remembered for her advocacy, energy and passion |newspaper=The Globe and Mail |date=December 29, 2019 |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/music/article-inuit-musician-kelly-fraser-remembered-for-her-advocacy-energy-and/|last1=Alhmidi |first1=Maan }} Her producer reported that she was working on another album, to be called Decolonize, when she died;{{cite web |url=https://www.cbc.ca/radio/newfire/music-is-giving-voice-to-indigenous-youth-1.4181770/how-kelly-fraser-is-revitalizing-inuktitut-with-rihanna-1.4211169 |title=How Kelly Fraser is revitalizing Inuktitut with Rihanna |work=New Fire|publisher=CBC Radio|date=August 14, 2017}} crowdfunding for the album was underway at that time.
Death
Fraser died at her home in Winnipeg, Manitoba, on December 24, 2019, by suicide. According to her family she had suffered through "childhood traumas, racism and persistent cyberbullying". Several candlelight vigils in her honour were held at The Forks on January 4 and at the Nicola Valley Institute of Technology in Merritt, British Columbia.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/merritt-community-honour-life-inuk-singer-kelly-fraser-1.5422937|title='She was such a bright light': Former classmates, teachers at B.C. school honour life of Kelly Fraser|last=Lirette|first=Dominika|date=January 10, 2020|website=CBC|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200111001308/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/merritt-community-honour-life-inuk-singer-kelly-fraser-1.5422937 |archive-date=January 11, 2020|url-status=live|access-date=May 28, 2024}}
Discography
=''Isuma''=
Fraser's first album, released in June 2014, was recorded with her band mates from Sanikiluaq, with seven original and three cover songs. The title means 'think'.{{cite web|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/nunavut-s-kelly-fraser-releases-first-cd-isuma-1.2670639 |title=Nunavut's Kelly Fraser releases first CD, 'Isuma'|publisher=CBC News|access-date=May 28, 2024|date=June 10, 2014}}.
=''Sedna''=
Sedna was released on February 25, 2017, by Nunavut's Hitmakerz record label.{{Cite web |url=https://www.kellyfrasermusic.com/ |title=Kelly Fraser Music |website=kellyfrasermusic.com |access-date=2018-08-11 |archive-date=January 21, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200121143413/https://www.kellyfrasermusic.com/}} The title of the album, known as ᓄᓕᐊᔪᒃ (Nuliaju) in Inuktitut, refers to the story of Sedna, the Inuit goddess of the sea, which Fraser decided to modernize in this album. She said, "The goal of the album is to help heal those suffering from the effects of colonization, including the damaging effects of residential school and forced relocation. There is a great need for Inuit artists to directly speak to those affected from the past."
The album included the song 'Fight for the Right', released as part of the 'no' campaign in the 2016 Nunavut municipal land referendum, which asked voters whether they were willing to allow municipal lands to be sold.{{cite news|first1=Michele|last1=LeTourneau|url=https://nunavutnews.com/nunavut-news/sanikiluaq-singer-releases-second-album/ |title=Sanikiluaq singer releases second album|publisher=Nunavut News|date=May 6, 2017|access-date=May 28, 2024}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/implications-of-yes-vote-nunaut-referendum-1.3571241 |title=What a 'yes' vote means in Monday's Nunavut Land Referendum|access-date=May 28, 2024|date=May 7, 2016|publisher=CBC News|first1=Sima Sahar|last1=Zerehi}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{YouTube|c=UCN6KikLTLp5mP0XgChu5eEg|Kelly Fraser's portal}}
- {{YouTube|u=MarxWasAMarxist|Kelly Fraser's user}}
- [https://aptnnews.ca/2019/12/30/family-of-kelly-fraser-releases-statement-about-her-death/ Family statement]
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Category:21st-century Canadian women singers
Category:21st-century Inuit people
Category:21st-century Inuit women
Category:Canadian women pop singers
Category:Inuit from the Northwest Territories