Crystal Shawanda

Born and raised in Wiikwemkoong First Nation on Manitoulin Island, Crystal Shawanda learned of the Blues from her eldest brother. That early passion shaped her into the powerhouse blues vocalist she is today. Crystal began in country music, where she quickly made history. After signing with RCA Nashville in her early twenties, her debut album Dawn of a New Day (2008) became the highest‑charting album by a full‑blooded Canadian Indigenous country artist. Her breakout single “You Can Let Go” became one of the fastest‑rising hits on the Canadian Country Singles Chart, reaching Top 10 in just five weeks and climbing to #2 on the U.S. Mediabase chart. She went on to become the first Indigenous woman to win the Canadian Country Music Award for Female Artist of the Year. After releasing Just Like You (2010), which earned a JUNO Award for Best Aboriginal Album, Crystal shifted fully into the blues. The Whole World’s Got the Blues (2014), was followed by Fish Out of Water (2016), Voodoo Woman (2017), Church House Blues (2020), which earned the JUNO Award for Blues Album of the Year. Midnight Blues (2022) made Crystal the first Indigenous woman to debut in the Billboard Blues Chart Top 10. Sing Pretty Blues reached #5 on the Best Albums of 2025 Big Blues Chart in the US, #2 on the Canadian Blues Radio Chart, and #1 on the Indigenous Music Countdown. It also won a Canadian Blues Music Award and was nominated for the JUNO Awards Best Blues Album. Crystalshawandamusic.com