Joey Nowyuk’s debut album, Tumitit, continuing to garner praise, accolades, and awards.
Inuk artist’s recent climb to the top of the Indigenous Music Countdown is his third #1 in a row!
On June 11, 2021, Nunavut’s alt-rocker, Joey Nowyuk, released his newest single, “Pray (Tussiaq) feat. Shauna Seeteenak”, the second single from his debut album, Tumitit. By August 27, the single reached #1 on the Indigenous Music Countdown (IMC). The first single from the album, “Nalligigakku (Because I Love Her”), also reached #1 on the IMC, and its music video won 1st place in the Indigenous Music Award’s Music Video Competition, making this #1 his 3rd win in a row! On top of this, the music video for “Pray” was recently announced as an Official Selection for the imagineNATIVE film festival in Toronto.
Both “Pray” and “Nalligigakku” were produced by Thor Simonsen (Kelly Fraser, Aasiva, Shauna Seeteenak) and Dale Penner (Nickelback, The Matthew Good Band, Econoline Crush), and both are featured on Joey Nowyuk’s debut album, Tumitit, which came out on July 16th, 2021.
The album includes 11 beautiful, original songs – mostly in Inuktitut – and feature Inuit throat singing performed by JUNO Award-nominated band Silla + Rise’s Qattuu Evic. The album was received with great support and enthusiasm, and Joey Nowyuk’s music now has over 1,000,000 in streams across platforms.
Hailing from Pangnirtung, Nunavut, Nowyuk first picked up the guitar when a travelling music workshop visited, he recalls. “I was inspired to keep playing, but that wasn’t an easy feat when guitar strings could not even be purchased in my community, being so remote!”
Nevertheless, Joey Nowyuk’s beat-heavy, guitar-driven songs have beamed beyond Northern borders like the rays of optimism and hope they espouse — including translations across Inuktitut, English, French, and Japanese. “I want to reach people around the world, just as much as Nunavut and Canada,” he says. “Tumitit is the Inuktitut word for ‘footsteps’ in English and, as the title suggests, I want others to walk in my footsteps by continuing to improve their lives and reach for their goals.”
A talented multi-instrumentalist on guitar and drums, in addition to powerhouse vocals, Nowyuk’s extensive songwriting repertoire has also taken top prize at the annual Qilaut Songwriting Contest three times — including its most recent 2021 event.
“At their root, many of my songs are very personal, and Nunavummiuit often tell me they can relate; I touch on a lot of topics such as growing up an Inuk, mental health and suicide awareness, as well as living in the North.”
Joey Nowyuk has performed at the Pang Fest, Alianait Arts Festival, Toonik Tyme Festival, and more, and previously released “Christmas Together” (2020) with Brenda Montana. He recently attended the Hitmakerz Compound in Ottawa to record an album of Inuktitut cover songs with Dale Penner, as well as other projects.
Funding for the album and music videos was provided by the Government of Nunavut, Nunavut Film Development Corporation, and the MVP Project, a joint initiative of RBCxMusic and the Prism Prize (administered by the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television).
Listen to Joey’s Debut Album “Tumitit”
Watch “Nalligigakku” on Youtube
PR, booking or more information, please contact:
Thor Simonsen
CEO, Hitmakerz
867-222-8416
thor@hitmakerz.com
www.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.