RECAP: Nunavut Music Summit debuts in Iqaluit
Nunavut Music Summit took place from Feb. 20-23
A new, interactive music event stopped by Nunavut last month. The four-day Nunavut Music Summit drew crowds in Iqaluit from Feb. 20-23, 2024.
Nunavut Music Summit brought together music industry professionals, established artists, emerging talent and music enthusiasts for a week of interactive programming. Attendees participated in workshops, panels, performances and networking opportunities.
“I am overjoyed with the community response we received from the events,” said Sarah Elaine McLay, Hitmakerz CEO and one of the co-organizers of the Summit. “It was inspiring to see the dedication and connection between artists that attended throughout the week.”
One of the most popular events was the Hitmakerz Open Mic & Feedback Workshop at Aqsarniit Lounge on the first night of the Summit. Approximately 70 people attended, with many getting up on stage to perform.
The final evening of the Summit, which had a hip hop theme, was also popular among attendees. The Nunavut’s Hip Hop Scene panel featured Ehski, Lutie Kaviok, Shana Seeteenak and Young Keen, who spoke about their experiences and advice as hip hop artists. The final music performance of the Summit was scheduled to feature Ehski and Seeteenak. The two shared the stage with Kaviok and Young Keen, making it an even grander finale. The performances were followed by a dance party, featuring Iqaluit DJ duo, Cookies and Cream.
Additional musical performers included Sam Tutanuak and Jody and Jada Tulurialik.
“Nunavut Music Summit was truly interactive, as all of the panels that were held ignited conversation not only between the panelists, but also received engagement from the audience,” said Sam Durell, Hitmakerz COO and one of the co-organizers of the Summit.
For some performing artists, this was their first time meeting each other.
“Some of the artists formed bonds that created a level of friendship that is now inspiring them to collaborate and work together,” said Durrell
“There was also a lot of discussion around what kind of support artists in Nunavut need, from access to touring with their music, to conversations around how to apply for funding.”
Nunavut Music Summit also hosted the first Nunavut Music Annual General Meeting. The event was held in a hybrid format and an on-site Inuktitut translator was available to encourage community participation.
Nunavut Music is the regional music association for the territory. Meeting attendees brainstormed next steps for the association and were encouraged to spread the word about membership. People can sign up to be new members of Nunavut Music until Mar. 31, 2024. Elections for Nunavut Music’s board of directors will be held in the coming months.
There was another first at the Summit: the Community Recognition Award. The award, presented by Alianait, honours a person in Nunavut who has made significant contributions to the music community.
The Community Recognition Award was presented to Looee. As both a JUNO-nominated artist and the Executive Director of Qaggiavuut, Looee is a celebrated leader in the Nunavut music scene.
Looee accepted the award and performed at the ceremony at Aqsarniit Lounge on Feb. 20.
Activities at Nunavut Music Summit also extended out into the local community. GRAMMY-winner, Matt Snell, hosted a songwriting and music production workshop with students at Inuksuk High School.
Nunavut Music Summit was a collaboration between Nunavut Music, and record label, Hitmakerz. Financial support was provided by the Government of Nunavut. Additional support was also provided by Alianait, Aqsarniit and Qaggiavuut.
“We received positive feedback from many of the attendees and are looking forward to more opportunities to bring the Nunavut music community together in the future,” said McLay. “We are grateful for the wonderful memories made and takeaways learned during this exciting pilot event and hope to bring it back next year.”
See additional photos from the event in the gallery below.
ᐅᑎᕐᕕᒋᓚᕗᑦ: ᓄᓇᕗᑦ ᓂᔾᔭᐅᓯᔭᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᑲᑎᒪᓂᖅ ᐱᒋᐊᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ ᐃᖃᓗᖖᓂᑦ ᕖᕗᐊᕆ 20ᒥᑦ 23ᒧᑦ.
ᐱᓕᕆᓯᓐᓈᑦ, ᓴᖅᑭᓵᖅᑐᖅ ᓂᔾᔭᐅᓯᔭᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖑᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥᑦ ᑕᖅᑭᐅᓚᐅᖅᑐᒥᒃ. ᑎᓴᒪᓂᒃ ᐅᓪᓗᓂᒃ ᑲᑎᒪᓂᕆᓚᐅᖅᑕᕗᑦ ᖃᐃᔪᖃᑦᑎᐊᖃᑦᑕᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᐃᖃᓗᖖᓂᑦ ᕖᕝᕗᐊᕆ 20-23, 2024ᒥᑦ.
ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ ᓂᔾᔭᐅᓯᔭᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᑲᑎᒪᓂᖃᑦᑎᐊᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ ᐊᔾᔨᒌᖏᑦᑐᑦ ᐃᙱᐅᓯᐅᖅᑎᓄᑦ ᐱᓇᓱᐊᕈᓯᕆᓚᐅᖅᑕᑦᑎᓐᓂᒃ. ᐃᓕᓴᐃᕙᒃᖢᑎᑦ, ᖁᙱᐊᖅᑕᐅᕙᒃᖢᑎᑦ, ᑲᑎᒪᓪᓗᑎᒡᓗ.
“ᖁᕕᐊᓱᓪᓚᕆᒃᑐᖓ ᖃᐃᔪᖃᑦᑎᐊᖃᑦᑕᓚᐅᕐᒪᑦ ᑐᙵᓱᒃᑎᑦᑎᑎᓪᓗᑕ”. ᓴᐃᕋ ᐃᓚᐃᓐ ᒪᒃᓚᐃ ᐅᖃᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ. Hitmakerz ᐊᐅᓚᑦᑎᔨᐊ, ᐋᖅᑭᒃᓱᐃᖃᑕᐅᓯᒪᔪᖅ. “ᑲᔪᖏᖅᓴᐅᑎᒋᒃᑲᓐᓂᓕᓚᐅᖅᑕᕋ ᑕᑯᓪᓗᓂ ᓂᔾᔭᐅᓯᔭᖅᑏᑦ ᐋᔩᖃᑎᒌᒃᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ, ᐃᒃᐱᒍᓱᖃᑎᒌᒃᐸᒃᖢᑎᒡᓗ ᐱᓇᓱᐊᕈᓯᕆᓚᐅᖅᑕᑦᑎᓐᓂᒃ”.
ᖁᕕᐊᒋᔭᐅᓂᖅᐸᐅᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᖃᐃᔪᖃᐅᑦᑎᐊᖅᖢᓂ, Hitmakerz ᑐᖖᒐᓱᒃᑎᑦᑎᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᐃᙱᕈᒪᔪᓄᑦ ᑭᓇᑐᐃᓐᓇᕐᒧᑦ, ᐊᕐᓴᕐᓃᑦ ᐃᓄᖃᕐᕕᐊᓂᑦ ᐅᓪᓗᖅ ᓯᕗᓪᓕᖅᐹᖓᓂ. 70ᖏᓐᓂᓪᓗᐊᖅ ᖃᐃᓯᒪᓚᐅᖅᐳᑦ, ᐊᒥᓱᓪᓗ ᖁᙱᐊᖅᑕᐅᓪᓗᑎᒃ.
ᑲᑎᓐᓂᐅᑉ ᑭᖑᓪᓕᖅᐹᖓᓂ, Hip-hopᓕᕆᓂᖅ ᐅᐸᒃᑕᐅᑦᑎᐊᓚᐅᕐᒥᔪᑦ. ᖃᐃᖁᔭᐅᓯᒪᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ ᐃᔅᑭ, ᓘᑎ ᖃᕕᐅᖅ, ᓵᓇ ᓰᑏᓐᓇᖅ, ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᒪᒃᑯᒃᑐᖅ ᑮᓐ. ᐅᓂᒃᑳᓚᐅᖅᐳᑦ ᐊᑐᖅᓯᒪᔭᒥᖖᓂᑦ, ᑲᔪᖏᖅᓴᐃᓪᓗᑎᒡᓗ ᒪᒃᑯᒃᑐᓂᑦ. ᑖᒃᑯᐊᓗ ᐃᔅᑭ ᐊᒻᒪ ᓵᓇ ᓰᑏᓐᓇᖅ ᓴᖅᑭᑦᑎᓚᐅᖅᐳᑦ. ᖁᙱᐊᖅᑕᐅᓪᓗᑎᒡᓗ ᑲᑎᙵᓪᓗᑎᒃ. ᐱᒃᑯᓇᓪᓚᕆᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ. ᑭᖑᓂᐊᓂᓗ ᒧᒥᖅᑎᑦᑎᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ Cookies & Cream ᐃᖃᓗᖖᓂᙶᖅᑐᑦ.
ᐱᓇᓱᐊᕈᓯᕆᓚᐅᖅᑕᑦᑎᓐᓂᒃ ᐃᙱᓚᐅᕐᒥᔪᑦ ᓵᒻ ᑐᑕᓐᓄᐊᖅ, ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᔫᑎ ᐊᒻᒪ ᔭᐃᑕ ᑐᓗᕆᐊᓕᒃ.
“ᓄᓇᕗᑦ ᓂᔾᔭᐅᓯᔭᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᑲᑎᓐᓂᐅᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᐱᖃᓯᐅᑎᓂᖃᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᑲᑎᒪᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ, ᐅᖃᐅᓯᒃᓴᖃᖅᑐᐃᓐᓇᐅᓚᐅᖅᖢᑎᒃ.” ᓴᒫᓐᑕ ᑐᕆᓪ ᐅᖃᖅᑐᖅ. ᑐᑭᒧᐊᖅᑎᑦᑎᔨᐅᑉ ᑐᒡᓕᐊ, ᐋᖅᑭᒃᓱᐃᖃᑕᐅᓯᒪᔪᖅ.
ᐃᓚᖏᓐᓄᑦ ᐃᙱᖅᑏᑦ, ᓂᔾᔭᐅᓯᔭᖅᑏᑦ ᑕᑯᖃᑦᑕᐅᑎᔭᕆᐅᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ.
“ᐃᓚᖏᑦ ᓂᔾᔭᐅᓯᔭᖅᑏᑦ ᐱᖃᓐᓇᕆᔭᖃᓕᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ, ᐱᓕᕆᖃᑎᒌᖖᓂᐊᖅᑐᒃᓴᐅᓕᖅᖢᑎᑦ.” ᑐᕆᓪ ᐅᖃᖅᐳᖅ.”
“ᐱᔾᔪᑎᒋᔭᐅᓚᐅᕐᒥᔪᖅ ᖃᓄᖅ ᐊᑲᐅᓯᒋᐊᕈᓐᓇᕆᐊᒃᓴᖓᓂ ᓄᓇᕘ ᓂᔾᔭᐅᓯᔭᖅᑎᖏᓐᓄᑦ. ᐊᐅᓪᓚᑲᑕᖖᓂᕐᒧᑦ, ᖃᓄᕐᓗ ᐱᒋᐊᕈᑎᒥᒃ ᑐᒃᓯᕋᕐᓂᕐᒥᒃ”.
ᓯᕗᓪᓕᖅᐹᖅᓱᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ ᓄᓇᕗᑦ ᓂᔾᔭᐅᓯᔭᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᑲᑎᒪᓂᖅ, ᐊᕌᒍᑕᒫᖅᓯᐅᑎᐅᓂᐊᖅᑐᒥᒃ. ᑲᑎᒪᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᒪᕐᕈᐃᓕᖓᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ, ᐃᓄᒃᑑᓕᖅᑎᔨᖃᖅᖢᑎᒡᓗ ᐱᓇᓱᐊᕈᓯᕆᓚᐅᖅᑕᑦᑎᓐᓂᒃ ᖃᐃᔪᖃᑦᑎᐊᖁᔨᓪᓗᑕ.
ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ ᓂᔾᔭᐅᓯᔭᕐᓂᖅ ᐱᔪᓐᓇᖅᑎᑦᑎᓯᒪᔪᑦ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥᙶᕈᓘᔭᖅᑐᓄᑦ. ᑲᑎᒪᔭᖅᑐᖅᑐᑦ ᐃᓱᒪᒃᓴᖅᓯᐅᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ ᖃᓄᖅ ᑲᔪᓯᓂᐊᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ. ᐃᓚᐅᔪᒪᒍᕕᑦ ᐃᓕᔪᓐᓇᖅᐳᑎᑦ ᒫᔾᔨ 31ᖑᕋᓱᖖᓂᖓᓄᑦ 2024ᖑᔪᒥᑦ. ᓂᕈᐊᕐᓂᐅᓂᐊᖅᑐᖅ ᑐᑭᒧᐊᖅᑎᑦᑎᔪᒃᓴᓄᑦ ᐱᑕᖃᕐᓂᐊᖅᑐᖅ ᑕᖅᑭᕆᓂᐊᖅᑕᑦᑎᓐᓂᒃ.
ᓯᕗᓪᓕᖅᐹᖅᓱᓚᐅᕐᒥᔪᑦ: ᓄᓇᓕᖖᓂ ᐱᓕᕆᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐃᓕᓴᕆᔭᐅᔪᖃᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ. ᐃᓕᓴᖅᓯᓂᖅ ᐊᓕᐊᓇᐃᒃᑯᓐᓄᑦ ᓴᖅᑭᑕᐅᓯᒪᔪᖅ, ᖁᔭᓕᓪᓗᑎᒃ ᐃᓄᖖᒧᑦ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥᑦ ᐊᓯᔾᔩᓯᒪᔪᒧᑦ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ ᓂᔾᔭᐅᓯᕆᓂᕐᒧᑦ.
ᓄᓇᓕᖖᓂᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐃᓕᓴᕆᔭᐅᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᓘᐄ. JUNOᒃᑯᓐᓄᑦ ᓂᕈᐊᒐᒃᓴᐅᓯᒪᔪᖅ, ᑐᑭᒧᐊᖅᑎᑦᑎᔨᐅᓪᓗᓂ ᖃᒡᒋᐊᕘᒃᑯᓐᓄᑦ. ᓘᐄ ᓯᕗᓕᖅᑎᐅᒋᔭᐅᖃᑕᐅᔪᖅ ᓄᓇᕘᑉ ᓂᔾᔭᐅᓯᓂᕐᒥᑦ.
ᓘᐄ ᑐᓐᓂᖅᑯᓯᐊᖅᑕᐅᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ, ᐃᙱᓚᖅᖢᓂ ᐊᖅᓴᕐᓃᑦ ᐃᓄᖃᕐᕕᐊᓂᑦ, ᕖᕝᕗᐊᕆ 20ᒥᑦ.
ᐱᓕᕆᔭᐅᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ ᓂᔾᔭᐅᓯᔭᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᑲᑎᒪᓂᖅ ᐃᓚᒋᐊᕈᑎᓪᓚᕆᐅᔪᖅ ᓄᓇᓕᖖᓄᑦ. GRAMMYᑖᖅᓯᒪᔪᖅ ᒫᑎᐅ ᔅᓂᐅᓪ. ᐃᙱᐅᓯᓕᐅᕐᓂᕐᒥᒃ, ᐋᖅᑭᒃᓱᐃᓂᕐᒧᓪᓗ ᐃᓕᓴᐃᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᐃᓄᒃᓱᒃ ᖁᑦᑎᑦᑐᖅ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᕕᐊᓂ.
ᓄᓇᕗᑦ ᓂᔾᔭᐅᓯᔭᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᑲᑎᒪᓂᖅ ᐱᓕᕆᖃᑎᖃᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ ᓂᔾᔭᐅᓯᔭᕐᓂᒥᒃ, Hitmakerzᑯᓐᓂᓗ. ᑮᓇᐅᔭᖃᖅᑎᑦᑎᔪᑦ ᓄᓇᕗᑦ ᒐᕙᒪᒃᑯᖏᑦ. ᐃᑲᔪᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ ᐊᓕᐊᓇᐃᒃᑯᑦ, ᐊᖅᓴᕐᓃᑦ, ᖃᒡᒋᐊᕘᒃᑯᓪᓗ.
“ᐅᖃᐅᓯᐅᑦᑎᐊᖃᑦᑕᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᖃᐃᖃᑦᑕᓚᐅᖅᑐᓂᒃ, ᑕᑯᓛᕈᒪᔪᑦ ᐅᓄᒃᑲᓐᓂᖅᑐᓂᒃ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ ᓂᔾᔭᐅᓯᔭᕐᓂᖅ ᑲᑎᓐᓂᖃᒃᑲᓐᓂᖃᑦᑕᕐᓂᐊᖅᑐᓂᒃ.” ᒪᒃᓚᐃ ᐅᖃᖅᐳᖅ.
“ᖁᔭᓕᔪᒍᑦ ᐳᐃᒍᔾᔮᙱᑕᑦᑎᓐᓂᒃ ᐱᓕᕆᓚᐅᕋᑦᑕ, ᐃᓕᑦᑎᕚᓪᓕᖅᖢᑕ. ᐊᕐᕌᒎᓛᖅᑐᒥᑦ ᓴᖅᑭᑎᒃᑲᓐᓂᕈᒪᓪᓗᑎᕗᑦ.
ᑕᑯᒃᑭᑦ ᐊᔾᔩᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖑᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ.
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For PR, bookings, or more information, please contact:
Sarah Elaine McLay | sarah@hitmakerz.com
Sam Durrell | sam@hitmakerz.com
About Hitmakerz
Founded in 2016, Hitmakerz is a full-service record label based in Nunavut. Specializing in creating world-class Inuit and Indigenous music, Hitmakerz has studios in Iqaluit, Ottawa, and Toronto. A social enterprise, their mission is to create viable careers in the arts for Inuit and Indigenous artists through music, media, and education, as well as to empower artists to share their stories and strengthen their culture. www.hitmakerz.com
Acknowledgment
We acknowledge the support of the Government of Nunavut.
