b"ART MEETS COMMERCEwith my lessons later, but my heart andIt was through their joint work on theempowerIndigenousmusiciansby soul were invested in pop music. MySummit that Rheaume and Kish realizedprovidingaccesstovitalresources mom and her grandfather played piano,theirs was a special partnership thatandeducationalopportunities. and my uncle was a bass player in acouldleadtoothercollaborativeItsupportsartistsatallstages band called Roman Grey. It wasnt as ifinitiatives within Canadas Indigenousthroughmentorships,workshops music was always around me, but thosemusic scene. It was out of this desireandnetworkingopportunities.As were the threads. that Ishkd Records was born.itswebsiteattests,Thepurposeof theIMOistouplift,empowerand Rheaume adds, I started writing songsThroughtheworkShoShonaandstrengthen Indigenous music creators, outofpureself-expressionpain,IdidtogetherontheInternationalfamilies and communities. angst, the need for a creative outlet.Indigenous Music Summit, we learned And then Alanis Morissette releasedthatwepossessedaveryspecialCORE PASSIONJagged Little Pillin 1995, which wasalchemy, says Rheaume. After severalBuildingasuccessfulcareerinthe veryinfluentialformeasayoungyears of organizing the Summit, wemusic industry has not been without musician. It spoke to me. decided tolaunch Ishkd Records,itschallenges,Rheaumesays.But with the main animating principles ofwhathashelpedtaketheedgeoff Varied in terms of her musical tastesbreaking the glass ceiling and bridginganyobstaclesstandinginherway and attractions, Rheaume now plays thethegapsofinequityIndigenoushasbeenthetremendouspassion piano, electric and acoustic guitars andmusicians face in the music industry.she has for musicand Indigenous the harmonica. Speaking to her moreThe label was created from realizingmusicinparticular.Combiningthe authentic approach to all things musical,howincredibleandcomplementarytwo has been both fulfilling and key she also recently learned how to playour skills are in building communityto her perseverance. Its easier to go the spoons, an integral element ofand opportunity. through the struggles when the core Mtis musical tradition and identity. is something you're passionate about, TheduofoundedIshkdRecordssays Rheaume simply. EXPANDING HORIZONS in2021.BasedinKelowna,B.C., It wasnt long before Rheaume felt thethewomen-ownedrecordlabelisItsobvioustoRheaumeandother fire of the entrepreneur in her bones,dedicated to fostering and amplifyingindustryplayersthatIndigenous and she began to look beyond justIndigenous voicesthe name itselfartistsandtheirmusichavegained building her own career as a successfulmeansfireinAnishinaabemowin.much ground over the past few years. musician.Shewantedmore,andKish, an Anishinaabekwe communityRheaume,whohasco-chairedthe she cites her father as an importantorganizer, producer and activist, is alsoIndigenousmusiccategoryforthe influenceinherefforttobroadenan award-winning artist. Leading theJunos,Canadasmostrecognized hercareer.Mydadisadiehardband Digging Roots with her husbandmusicawards,isonlytooawareof entrepreneur, and I learned a lot fromRaven Kanatakta, she blends globalthis.Asshepointsout,Itsclear him, she notes. The first business Iand traditional Indigenous sounds withthat Indigenous music is on the rise, opened was a marketing and graphicroots, blues and soul. judging by the number of submissions design company many years ago.to these categories. There are far more The challenges of being an Indigenousopportunities and more awareness of This business drive led Rheaume, withartist in the music industry are alreadythe work that the artists and groups fellow Indigenous musician ShoShonadifficult, and it's one of the reasons weare doing.Kish,tolaunchtheInternationallaunched the label, explains Rheaume. Indigenous Music Summit, a festivalWehaveawonderfuldistributionStill, says Rheaume, there is much more dedicatedtocelebrating,creatingpartnerinUniversalMusicCanada,work ahead. I realized recently that awareness,sharingresources,andwhich has been very supportive andit's been 10 years since the 94 Calls to buildingopportunitiesforthea great partner, especially in the earlyAction were released by the Truth and Indigenousmusiccommunity.Itphases. Government funding throughReconciliation Commission, and Ive providesauniqueopportunityfora variety of sources has also helpedbeen reflecting on how far Indigenous Indigenousartiststoconnectinatremendously. Of course, any ownerpeople have come, she says. Gains culturally sensitive space.launchinganewbusinessputsinhave been made, but we're not in a lots of sweat equity, and in this case,post-reconciliation world by any means. TheresalwaysbeenanabundanceShoShona and I are also signed to ourI think you can apply the same lessons of talent in our community and theown label, like the artists we work with. toanyindustryinCanada.There's Summit is meant to create a space tomore work to do, and we can never showcase that talent, says Rheaume,Anothermorerecentproductofforget that.who just recently wrapped up the 2025Rheaumesuntiringeffortsisthe Summit in Toronto. For me, its beenIndigenousMusicOffice(IMO),anIt'snotlikelyRheaumewilleverlet inspirational to see how much talentinitiativededicatedtopromotingthat slip. And we can expect to see existsintheIndigenouscommunity,Indigenouspeopleworkinginthehercontinuingtomakesignificant andeventsliketheSummitsimplymusic industry. Rheaume, a foundingcontributions, in one form or another, provide the venue to showcase theboard member, says that the IMOstoIndigenousmusicintheyears talent that already exists. programshavebeendesignedtoto come.Indigenous BUSINESS REPORT71"