Olivia Tail Feathers is a songstress from the Blood Tribe in Southern Alberta. Olivia has sung in many genres of music and created her own unique style of song through her musical experiences. She is a Blackfeet woman who grew up speaking the language and living the Plains native culture. During her first years of teaching in federal schools she realized the absence of indigenous song in the music curriculum. She has since created the native songs she carries with her today.
Olivia helped-to start-filling the gap of Traditional/Contemporary native song, in classrooms and community events. She is proud of her heritage and continues sharing her stories and songs. Olivia founded a youth singing grouping in 1994, the Kainai Grassland Singers, the movement of the tall grasses by the summer breeze, the image of her ancestors of the past gave her the passion and vision to re-create.
Olivia has performed with many First Nation’s Singers, she gives credit to the Banff Center for the Arts in connecting with Indigenous singers from North America. Olivia is an international recording artist and was a singer in, ’Hearts of the Nations’ Compilation C.D. (Sweet Grass Records) and Ninihkssin C.D.’ (Arbor Records). She has credits in Documentary film and is featured in ‘Singing Our Stories, First Ladies of Indigenous Music’ NFB, and the ‘Intertribal Music Series’, CBC and APTN. Olivia was the recipient of the first ‘Keeper of Traditions Award’, CAMA 1999, Blackfoot Canadian Cultural Society Award 2021, Lifetime Arts Award 2021(BCCS), Teacher Excellence FNMI. Most recent her recordings have been utilized in soundtracks for the following films: Iniskim, Beyond the Reason of Hope and the Marvel film series, Echo. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Education Degree from the University of Montana, Missoula, Montana.
Julian Tail Feathers is a Blackfeet and Kainai traditional/contemporary singer and drummer from the Blood Tribe in southern Alberta. Julian has accompanied his mother Olivia Tail Feathers with harmony in numerous performances in Blackfeet Territory. Julians’ Blackfoot name is Night Singer which was given to him at the annual Blood Sundance. Julian is compassionate about his Blackfeet culture, in his youth he was a traditional dancer and now loves to sing in his Blackfoot language with the Grassland Singers. Julian has experience in creating spoken word, he enjoyed the work he did with ‘Center for Indigenous Theater’. Julian appreciates going into the mountains to connect with spirit and continuously grows as a knowledge keeper.
