Crystal Shawanda

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title: "Crystal Shawanda" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["living-people", "1983-births", "21st-century-canadian-singer-songwriters", "21st-century-canadian-women-singers", "21st-century-first-nations-musicians", "21st-century-first-nations-women", "canadian-country-music-association-female-artist-of-the-year-winners", "canadian-country-singer-songwriters", "canadian-women-country-singers", "juno-award-for-indigenous-music-album-of-the-year-winners", "singers-from-ontario", "canadian-ojibwe-people", "people-from-manitoulin-island", "rca-records-nashville-artists", "canadian-blues-singers", "juno-award-for-blues-album-of-the-year-winners", "first-nations-women-singers", "ojibwe-musicians"] description: "Canadian musician (born 1983)" topic_path: "arts" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crystal_Shawanda" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Canadian musician (born 1983) ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox musical artist"]

Field	Value
name	Crystal Shawanda
image	Crystal-Shawanda-14_Feb_2009.jpg
image_size	280px
caption	Crystal Shawanda at Scotiabank Place, 14 February 2009, opening for Brad Paisley
birth_date
birth_place	Wiikwemkoong, Ontario, Canada
instrument	Vocals, guitar
genre	Country, Blues
occupation	Singer, songwriter, producer
years_active	2008—present
label	RCA Nashville, New Sun, True North Records
website	www.crystalshawanda.com
::

| name = Crystal Shawanda | image = Crystal-Shawanda-14_Feb_2009.jpg | image_size = 280px | caption = Crystal Shawanda at Scotiabank Place, 14 February 2009, opening for Brad Paisley | birth_name = | birth_date = | birth_place = Wiikwemkoong, Ontario, Canada | instrument = Vocals, guitar | genre = Country, Blues | occupation = Singer, songwriter, producer | years_active = 2008—present | label = RCA Nashville, New Sun, True North Records | website = www.crystalshawanda.com

Crystal Shawanda (born July 26, 1983) is an Ojibwe Potawatomi blues and country music artist from Canada. CMT documented her rise to fame in the six-part series Crystal: Living the Dream, which was broadcast in February 2008. Signed to RCA Nashville in 2007, she released her first single, "You Can Let Go", in Canada in January 2008. It was the fastest climbing single on the Canadian Country Singles Chart since Carolyn Dawn Johnson's "Georgia" in 2000, reaching the Top 10 in five weeks. It was released in the United States on February 25, 2008 . and reached #2 on the American Mediabase chart. She became the first full blood Indigenous woman to appear in the Top 20 on the American Billboard Country chart, to sell over 300k records, and to sing at the Grand Ole Opry, as well as the first to win the CCMA for Female artist of the year in 2009, and the first to win a Juno Award for "Blues Album of the UYear" in 2020, and the first to appear in the Top 10 of the American Billboard Blues chart in 2022.

Early life

Shawanda was born in Wiikwemkoong First Nation, Manitoulin Island, Ontario, where she began performing at 6 years old. She began acting with Debajemujig Theatre when she was 9, and began getting paid when she was 10. She recorded her first album in Nashville, TN, with Canadian producer Gary Buck, when she was 13. She spent her first 3 years of high school in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, where she attended Korah C. Her surname translates to "Dawn of a New Day", which was the inspiration of the title track of her debut album of the same name.

At 16, Crystal moved to Nashville, TN, where she busked on street corners, and sitting in at songwriters rounds, she moved back home to Wiikwemkoong for a couple years, and then back to Nashville again, she went back and forth one more time before permanently making it her home, and has been a resident ever since. Upon returning the final time she played for tips at Tootsie's Orchid Lounge on Broadway. She signed a publishing deal with Island Bound Music in 2014, and then signed a production deal with Scott Hendricks in 2015, and signed with RCA Records in 2016.

Many of Shawanda's songs have been inspired by her connections to Wiikwemkoong and part of her 2016 album was recorded at the Debajehmujig Creation Centre in Manitowaning, Manitoulin Island.

Music career

Shawanda's first album, Dawn of a New Day, was released in Canada on June 24, 2008, and in the United States on August 19. The album entered the Canadian Country Albums chart at number 2, and the Billboard Top Country Albums chart at number 16. It became the highest charted album by a full-blooded Canadian First Nations country artist in the SoundScan era.

Shawanda toured with various artists across Canada and the northern United States in 2008. In 2009, she toured Canada and the United States with Brad Paisley and Dierks Bentley as a special guest on the Paisley Party 2009 tour. Her first single, "You Can Let Go", peaked at number 21 on the Hot Country Songs charts. In mid-2009, Shawanda left RCA Nashville and, through her own record label, New Sun Records, and a distribution deal with EMI released a Christmas album titled I'll Be Home for Christmas.

In 2010, Shawanda released a single, "Beautiful Day", via her own label, New Sun Records. Shawanda also performed at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in 2010, performing "Let's Come Together" and "This Is My Land". She then released another single, "Love Enough", on August 15, 2011, in both Canada and the United States, and in promotion she went on to tour with Reba. Shawanda's second studio album, Just Like You, was released by New Sun on April 24, 2012, and won a Juno award for Aboriginal Album of the year in 2013. She became the first full blood Indigenous woman as the CEO of a record label, to procure these milestones.

In 2014, Shawanda made a departure from country music and released a Blues album titled "The Whole World's got the Blues", she focused on rather than regurgitating someone else's blues, she told her story as an Indigenous woman in "Pray Sister Pray", which raised awareness of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous women issue, across Canada. She filmed a music video in her hometown with the help of her community, and the music video is now being used in schools across Canada, as a teaching tool of this rising issue. This album was nominated for "Aboriginal Album of the year", and Shawanda was invited to perform at the Juno Awards opening Gala.

In 2016, Shawanda released her 4th album "Fish out of water", feeling torn between her future and her past, the album had a mix of Blues and country music songs, which ended up having am Americana sound. Perhaps best said by DMME.net "She's a force of nature, Crystal Shawanda, the Canadian singer may reside in Nashville, but her casting as a country artist, whitewashed as the genre demands, is hopefully over".

In 2017, Shawanda released "Voo Doo Woman", consisting of 6 covers of blues standards, and 4 originals. Later that year Crystal signed a record deal with True North Records, who rereleased the album later that year, and they achieved moderate airplay at Blues Radio in America.

In 2020, Shawanda released "Church House Blues", which had extensive airplay at Blues Radio in America, and in Europe. She also went on to become the first Indigenous woman to win a Juno award for "Blues album of the year".

In 2022 Crystal released "Midnight Blues", which debuted at #8 on the American Billboard blues chart, and she became the first full blood Indigenous person to appear on this chart. She also received extensive airplay at Blues radio. This album was also nominated for "blues album of the year" at the Juno Awards.

Discography

Studio albums

::data[format=table] | Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | US Country | US | Dawn of a New Day | I'll Be Home for Christmas | Just Like You | The Whole World's Got the Blues | Fish Out of Water | Voodoo Woman | Church House Blues | *Midnight Blues * | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | | 16 | 81 | | | | | | | | | | | | | — | — | | | | | | | | | | | | | — | — | | | | | | | | | | | | | — | — | | | | | | | | | | | | | — | — | | | | | | | | | | | | | — | — | | | | | | | | | | | | | — | — | | | | | | | | | | | | | 8 | — | | | | | | | | | | | | "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released to that territory | | | | | | | | | | | | | ::

Singles

::data[format=table] | Year | Single | Peak positions | Album | CAN Country | CAN | US Country | "You Can Let Go"[a] | "What Do I Have to Do" | "My Roots Are Showing" | "Dawn of a New Day" | "Try" | "Beautiful Day" | "Fight for Me" | "This Fever" | "Love Enough" | "Closer" | "Down on Broadway" | "Chains" | "Someone Who Loves You" | "Laid Back" | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | 2008 | 5 | 60 | 21 | Dawn of a New Day | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 5 | 79 | — | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 12 | 87 | 57 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2009 | 7 | 90 | — | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 24 | — | — | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2010 | 39 | — | — | Just Like You | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | — | — | — | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2011 | — | — | — | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | — | — | — | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2012 | 32 | — | — | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | — | — | — | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | — | — | — | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2013 | — | — | — | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2016 | — | — | — | Fish Out of Water | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released to that territory | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ::

;Notes

• a**^** "You Can Let Go" also reached number nine on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart.

As a featured artist

::data[format=table] | Year | Single | Peak positions | Album | CAN Country | "In Your Arms Again" (George Canyon featuring Crystal Shawanda) | |---|---|---|---|---|---| | 2009 | 16 | What I Do | | | | ::

Music videos

::data[format=table]

Year	Video	Director	"You Can Let Go"	"I'll Be Home for Christmas"	"Beautiful Day"	"Down on Broadway"
2008	Margaret Malandruccolo
2009
2010	Stephano Barberis
2012
::

Awards and nominations

::data[format=table]

Year	Organization	Category	Result
2008	Aboriginal Peoples Choice Awards	Best New Artist of the Year	url=https://winnipeg.ctvnews.ca/winnipeg-act-big-winners-at-apcma-1.341044
Best Country Album of the Year - Dawn of a New Day
Best Single of the Year - "You Can Let Go"
Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards	Best Artist of the Year	url=http://www.canab.com/pdfs/press_release/2008/2008_CAMA_WINNERS_RELEASE.pdf	title=Crystal Shawanda Cleans Up At 2008 Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards
Best Album of the Year - Dawn of a New Day
Best Country Album of the Year
Best Music Video of the Year - "You Can Let Go"
Best Single of the Year - "You Can Let Go"
Canadian Country Music Association	Single of the Year - "You Can Let Go"	url=http://www.ccma.org/pdfs/07-30-08-nomineesformatted.pdf	archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110626215157/http://www.ccma.org/pdfs/07-30-08-nomineesformatted.pdf
Female Artist of the Year
Program/Special of the Year
2009	Album of the Year - Dawn of a New Day
Female Artist of the Year
Canadian Radio Music Awards	Best New Country Artist	url=http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.viewcustom&friendId=100103638&blogId=478684212&swapped=true	title=Announcement
Juno Awards	Best New Artist	url=https://vancouversun.com/Entertainment/dawn+Shawanda/1417757/story.html	title=It's a new dawn for Shawanda
Country Recording of the Year
2010	Canadian Country Music Association	Female Artist of the Year	url=http://www.ccma.org/press_release.cfm?PressReleaseID=0601J44E524880441
2013	Juno Awards	Aboriginal Album of the Year	url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/1559049/juno-awards-2013-carly-rae-jepsen-leonard-cohen-are-early-winners
2015	Juno Awards	Aboriginal Album of the Year
2017	Juno Awards	Indigenous Music Album of the Year
2017	Indigenous Music Awards	Best Producer/Engineer (for New Sun Records – Missy Knott/My Sister's Heart)
::

References

References

1. "Artists to Watch in 2008 (Part 4 of 5): New Faces".
2. D'Cunha, Patricia. (2020-06-02). "'I'm just being me,' Crystal Shawanda says of her Indigenous roots, unique music".
3. "From Manitoulin Island to Music Row Crystal is living the dream on CMT".
4. "MAGMEDIA: Canadian > Crystal Shawanda > You Can Let Go".
5. "Crystal Clearly Doing Great".
6. "MusicRow Singles Calendar".
7. "Crystal Shawanda finds her wings". SooToday.com.
8. (June 2, 2008). "HearSomethingCountry.com".
9. Burridge, Robin. (2016-04-27). "Crystal Shawanda talks about her two new albums set to release this summer". Manitoulin Expositor.
10. (August 2017)
11. "Crystal Shawanda to Perform at Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade « Nashville.com".
12. "Crystal Shawanda- Country Albums".
13. "Crystal Shawanda - Billboard 200".
14. "Crystal Shawanda - Canada Country".
15. "Crystal Shawanda - Canadian Hot 100".
16. "Crystal Shawanda - Country Songs".
17. Whitburn, Joel. (2008). "Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2008". Record Research, Inc.
18. "George Canyon - Canada Country".
19. (8 November 2008). "CTV Winnipeg- Winnipeg act big winners at APCMA - CTV News".
20. "Crystal Shawanda Cleans Up At 2008 Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards".
21. "2008 CCMA Awards Nominees".
22. "Announcement".
23. (May 2024). "It's a new dawn for Shawanda".
24. "2010 CCMA Awards Nominees".
25. (April 21, 2013). "Juno Awards 2013: Carly Rae Jepsen, Leonard Cohen Are Early Winners".
26. "2015 {{!}} Aboriginal Album of the Year (Sponsored by Aboriginal Peoples Television Network) {{!}} Crystal Shawanda {{!}} The JUNO Awards". The JUNO Awards.
27. "INDIGENOUS MUSIC ALBUM OF THE YEAR {{!}} Crystal Shawanda {{!}} The JUNO Awards". The JUNO Awards.
28. "Here Are the Winners of the 2017 Indigenous Music Awards".

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