Tamara Pimentel
APTN News
From local pow wows to the red carpet at the Grammy Awards the drum group Young Spirit Singers is now going international.
The group from Alberta has been signed by Sakamoto – an international talent agency that represents some big names in the music industry including Keith Urban and Johnny Reid.
“It’s pretty surreal to think that the music that we’re doing, the singing and the drumming and what not, it was actually outlawed about 60 years ago maybe a little bit longer, but it was against the law to practice what we do,” said Young Spirit member Jacob Faithful.
“To see that it’s being rejoiced around the world as something that’s beautiful and amazing. It’s a great feeling.”
Faithful spoke with APTN News while travelling to his home in Lethbridge.
The group is based out of Frog Lake Cree Nation in Alberta.
Faithful says when the group was founded in 2001, its main purpose was to inspire youth.
“Young Spirit, the name itslef it speaks volumes to our mission,” he said. “Our mission to as a group is to empower our youth to pick up the drum, to sing our songs, learn the traditional songs, to learn our language.”
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