Montreal artist Anachnid to perform during National Indigenous History Month
Posted June 25, 2025 7:56 pm.
Last Updated June 25, 2025 10:09 pm.
As Canada marks National Indigenous History Month this June, Montreal-based Oji-Cree artist Anachnid is preparing to offer more than just a concert. With her performance at Sala Rossa on June 25, she promises a healing experience — a ceremony of sound, story, and spirit.
Known for her powerful storytelling and genre-bending sonic landscapes, Anachnid blends Indigenous soundscapes with electro-pop, trap, soul, and indie, carving out a style that is distinctly her own.
Born in Red Sucker Lake and now based in Montreal, the artist is affiliated with the record label Musique Nomade.
“My music style is, I like to co-create with producers and create my own samples. I think there’s an organic element to it, and I’ll inspire myself from nature and create soundscapes that can be relatable to some Indigenous sounds. But there’s so much more than that,” Anachnid explained. “There’s a little bit of pop, there’s a little bit of trap, a little bit of soul. Really, anything I like, I’ll use.”
Her musical journey began by chance. Performing for the first time at Les Scaliers — now demolished — she was encouraged by an Elder who told her, “You’re supposed to be on stage.” That moment set in motion a chain of opportunities that led her to work with Musique Nomade, a pivotal relationship she describes as life-changing.
A voice rooted in story and survival
For Anachnid, music is not just art — it’s medicine. Her tracks often draw from both traditional Indigenous stories and deeply personal experiences, including the challenges of navigating life as an Indigenous woman in urban spaces.
“Sky Woman, that’s about the creation story that I learned as a child,” she explained. “But it’s not just Indigenous stories. It’s stories in general, like my own.”
One such personal piece is China Doll, a song she says represents the fragility and resilience of living in a world that often fails to see Indigenous women.
“Coming into the city as an Indigenous woman, it’s very hard to adjust yourself, and there’s a lot of stainage with missing murdered Indigenous women,” she said. “Being out in the open, singing and being the best person I can be makes me feel like a little China doll where I can break in the shop.”
Performance as ceremony, not spectacle
Anachnid’s show at Sala Rossa is not designed to be a typical stage act — it’s a ceremony. She plans to perform on the floor, surrounded by the audience in a circle formation. “To be in a circle is to be united,” she said. “Today is going to be very special. They’re going to have all of me. I’m going to do some smudging, some ceremony and really be intimate.”
That intimacy — the ceremony over spectacle — is at the heart of her performances. “I don’t really like the dynamic of having an audience that are fans. I like seeing more of an audience that is a community.”
Whether performing to a handful of people or a crowd of thousands, Anachnid says the energy she gives is the same: “I’m still going to be me and I’m still going to share my authenticity of Anachnid.”
Creation and connection beyond the stage
For Anachnid, music is a spiritual practice that extends far beyond performance. She sees her work as weaving together personal stories and universal sounds, drawing inspiration from the universe itself. This approach reflects her belief that music doesn’t belong to her alone — it is a shared, sacred experience.
Despite growing recognition, she admits that navigating the music industry and social media pressures can be challenging. Maintaining consistency, especially online, is something she struggles with. “What I hope to achieve in my career is consistency,” she said. “I think posting consistently with social media is something that I have a hard time working with… but I won’t be posting every day. That’s just not going to happen.”
Her live performances, however, remain a grounding force — both for her and for those who attend. After her ceremonies, audience members often open up and share their own stories, which she holds with care and brings back in her prayers.
A message, and a mantra
As Indigenous voices continue to reclaim space on stages across the country, Anachnid offers a powerful message of resilience and reflection.
“With everything that’s happening in the world, I think it’s okay to go about your day and be able to turn off the news. But I also think it’s okay to continue to have empathy for others.”
While she doesn’t follow a public mantra, she shared one deeply personal source of strength. “The Bible for me protects me, so that’s my mantra,” she said. “I know it’s difficult for other Indigenous people to hear, but I’m going to use what helps me, protects me in a man’s world.”
As National Indigenous History Month continues, Anachnid reminds us that every performance can be more than music — it can be memory, medicine, and movement. And still, she never loses sight of joy:
“Have fun, dance with me, and let’s have a party,” she said with a smile. “That’s what I would tell them.”
