Leela Gilday

A captivating Dene singer/songwriter, Leela Gilday is a passionate, soulful performer who takes listeners on a journey through a musical world where freedom and joy balance sorrow and injustice. Her lyrics, reflective of her northern roots, embrace the essence of Dene life from an urban perspective. She hails from Yellowknife, NWT and is a member of the Dene Nation. “We have long recognized her as as talented member of our nation,” says Dene National Chief, Bill Erasmus. Leela Gilday has many national awards to her credit including a Juno and Western Canadian Music Award for her second album Sedzé. In 2009 she won Best Music Video at the Dreamspeakers Festival in Edmonton AB and in 2008, she received a Fellowship at the Banff Centre for the Arts. According to Alex Vardy of the Georgia Straight, “Leela Gilday (is) a rising star in the world of aboriginal music and a future pop icon as well.” Touring has taken Leela from Tokyo to Toronto to Haida Gwaii. She has toured extensively throughout Canada playing festivals, theatres, ceremonies, and folk clubs. Performance highlights include the Winnipeg Folk Festival, Vancouver East Cultural Centre, ImagineNATIVE Festival in Toronto, 6th Annual Aboriginal Music Festival in Saskatoon, and Canada Day on Parliament Hill in Ottawa. In 2008, Leela shared the stage at Vancouver’s Orpheum Theatre with Feist, Ron Sexsmith, and Jorane. Radio and television appearances include CBC Radio (Stuart McLean’s Vinyl Cafe, Sounds Like Canada) and the Aboriginal People’s Television Network (2008 National Aboriginal Day Broadcast). Leela Gilday released her much anticipated third CD “Calling All Warriors” in July 2010. It garnered a Western Canadian Music Award, a Canadian Aboriginal Music Award, and an Aboriginal Peoples Choice Music Award. She performs and tours with her band based out of Vancouver.

Accolades

• Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards- Best Female Artist 2010
• Aboriginal Peoples Choice Music Awards- Best Folk Album 2010
• Western Canadian Music Awards- Best Aboriginal Recording 2010
• JUNO AWARD WINNER- Aboriginal Recording of the Year 2007
• Best Music Video Dreamspeakers Festival 2009
• WESTERN CANADIAN MUSIC AWARD WINNER- Best Aboriginal Recording 2007
• Indian Summer Music Award Winner- Best Folk 2007
• “Northerner of the Year”- Up Here Magazine 2007
• Nominee- 3 Aboriginal Peoples’ Choice Music Awards 2007
• Nominee- 2 Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards 2007
• Nominee-Best Songwriter- Aboriginal- Canadian Folk Music Awards 2007
• Juno Award Nominee- Best Music of Aboriginal Canada 2003
• Winner of 3 Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards for
• Best Female Artist, Best Folk Album and Best Songwriter

Performance Highlights

2011

• Vancouver 125th Birthday Celebration (Jack Poole Plaza Vancouver, BC)
• Native North America Showcase (Toronto, ON)
• Tour of Nunavut (Iqaluit, Pangnirtung, Igloolik, NU)
• Official Showcase Artist for Folk Alliance International conference (Memphis, TN)

2010

• Vancouver Olympics- Northern House performances (Vancouver, BC)
• Saskatchewan First Nations Addictions Workers Awards (Saskatoon, SK)
• Aboriginal Pavilion Performance- Cultural Olympiad (Vancouver, BC)
• Mississauga Waterfront Festival (Port Credit, ON)
• Calgary Stampede President’s Breakfast (Calgary, AB)
• Folk on the Rocks Music Festival (Yellowknife, NT)
• Inuvik Concert with Jason Burnstick (Invuik, NT)
• CBC Songquest Artist for NWT (CBC Radio, Canada-wide)
• Official Showcase Artist for OCFF (Ottawa, ON)
• Official Showcase Artist for WCMAs (Kelowna, BC)
• Foundation Concerts (Edmonton, AB)
• Assembly of First Nations Annual Gathering (Ottawa, ON)

2009

• Weesagachak Festival- Native Earth (Toronto, ON)
• Yellowknife Role-modeling Concerts (Drug & Alcohol Awareness)(Yellowknife, NT)
• Snowking Festival (Yellowknife, NT)
• Tli Cho Youth Gathering (Bechoko, NT)
• Arbor Live TV Series (APTN broadcast)
• Vancouver Eastside Cultural Centre (Vancouver, BC)
• Dreamspeakers Festival (Edmonton, AB)
• Millenium Concert Series (Bancroft, ON)
• Big Soul 10th Anniversary (Toronto, ON)
• Native American Film Festival Gala (Santa Fe, New Mexico)
• 6th Annual Aboriginal Music Festival (Saskatoon, SK)
• Silver Season Opening Tour, NACC (Inuvik, Deline, Hay River, Yellowknife, NT)
• Margaret Greenham Theatre (Banff, AB)
• Babes for Breasts Fundraiser (Yellowknife, NT)
• Street Sisters Benefit Concert (Vancouver, BC)

2008

• Prince George Coldsnap Festival (Prince George, BC)
• Orpheum Theatre with Feist, Ron Sexmith & Jorane (Vancouver, BC)
• Arctic Winter Games Opening Ceremonies (Yellowknife, NT)
• Calgary Juno Aboriginal Nominees CBC Feature show (Calgary, AB)
• Prince Albert Grand Council International Womens’ Day (Prince Albert, SK)
• Angels Off Broadway Benefit (Vancouver, BC)
• Shelter From the Storm Benefit (Toronto, ON)
• Westfest (Ottawa, ON)
• National Aboriginal Day (APTN National TV Broadcast)
• Mariposa Folk Festival (Orillia, ON)
• Winnipeg Folk Festival (Winnipeg, MB)
• SIGA Authority Casino Tour (Saskatchewan)
• Old Massett Village Council- (Haida Gwaii, BC)
• Banff Centre for the Arts- Rolston Recital Hall (Banff, AB)
• Babes for Breasts Western Tour (Alberta & BC)
• Sechelt First Nation Self-Government Day (Sechelt, BC)
• Served on Aboriginal Juno Host Committee for Vancouver Junos 2009
• Recipient of Paul D. Fleck Fellowship at Banff Centre for the Arts

2007

• Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards (Toronto, ON)
• Aboriginal People’s Choice Music Awards (Winnipeg, MB)
• ImgagineNATIVE Festival (Toronto, ON)
• Japan- Tower Records, Shibuya, Honey’s Lounge Tokyo (Tokyo, JAPAN)
• Liberty Lounge (Calgary, AB)
• Medicine Hat Folk Club (Medicine Hat, AB)
• Artswells (Wells, BC)
• Edge of the World Music Festival (Haida Gwaii, BC)
• True North Concert (Iqaluit, NU)
Great Northern Arts Festival (Inuvik, NT)
• 2007 Juno Awards performance (Saskatoon, SK)
• National Aboriginal Achievement Awards (Edmonton, AB)
• Canada Winter Games (Whitehorse, YT)
• Gathering of Northern Nations (Whitehorse, YT)
• Sounds Like Canada (CBC Radio One & Two) (Regina, SK)

2006

• Paul Martin Celebration performance (PQ), CBC, CTV, Global
• “Sedzé” released in Toronto (NOW Lounge), Vancouver (Railway Club), and Yellowknife (Tree of Peace)
• Crossfiring Multimedia Festival – Collaboration with Floyd Favel (SK)
• Vinyl Café with Stuart McLean (CBC Radio One & Two)
• True North Concert (NT)
• Pacific Rim Summer Music Festival (BC)
• Perspectives on Contemporary Indiegnous Music Conference(SK)
• Songs from Above the Treeline (Native Women in the Arts) (ON)
• Songwriter in Residence, Dawson City Music Festival (YT)
• Frostbite Music Festival (YT)
• University of Alaska (Fairbanks, Alaska)
• Talking Stick Festival (BC)
• CPAWS Nahanni Tour (AB)

2005-2003 Canada Grooves (CBC TV),Global Village Feature(CBC Radio), Regina Folk Festival Independent Voices Series Concert (SK), Indigenous Youth on the Rise (BC) Yukon Arts Centre Tour and Workshops (YT), Winnipeg Folk Festival (MB), Open Sky Music Festival (NT), Folk on the Rocks Music Festival (NT), End of the Road Music Festival (NT), Gathering Our People (ON), Harbourfront Planet IndigenUS (ON), Islands Folk Festival (BC), Gathering Our Artists (SK), Arctic Winter Games (AB), Beyond Words (APTN), Ottawa CKCU Folk Festival (ON), OCFF- Socan Panel (ON), Peterborough Folk Festival (ON), Summerfolk (ON), Exposed Roots Showcase (PQ), Canada Day on Parliament Hill (CBC, ON), Vancouver Aboriginal Culture Celebration (BC), Harrison Festival of the Arts (BC), Edge of the World Music Festival (BC), Discovery Coast Music Festival (BC), Night One of Junos (PQ/ON)

Discography

• “Calling All Warriors”- copyright 2009/2010 Diva Sound Records Produced by Adam Popowitz
• “One Drum”- copyright 2007 Music Video produced by Big Soul Productions
• “Sedzé” – copyright 2006 Diva Sound. Produced by Teppei Kamei and Leela Gilday
• “Sweet Rebel Music”- one song on compilation by Spirit Magazine
• “Dig Your Roots”- one song on nationally-distributed compilation CD
• “spirit world, solid wood”- copyright 2002 Diva Sound. Produced by John Switzer
• “Indian Girl” – copyright 2001 demo at CBC studios
• “Truly Something” – one song on CBC records compilation

Launch the full screen media player to hear sample tracks

Booking information:

• Debbie Peters
• Magnum Opus Management
• 79 Ponderosa Drive
• Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada, Y1A 5E8
• Phone: (867) 633-2800 Fax: (867) 668-7854
• http://www.magnumom.ca/

Diva Sound Records:

• 4305 School Draw Ave
• Yellowknife, NT
• X1A 2K1ph: (867) 444-8431
• bookleelagilday@gmail.com

• NEW CD FINALLY RELEASED!!!
  It’s true: “Calling All Warriors”,my third full-length CD, is available for purchase. Please go to www.outside-music.ca to buy it, or you can go to your local record store. For store locations please …
• Calling All Warriors coming soon….
  Hey there friends, fans, cyberpeeps. The new CD that we worked so hard on is ready, and I am going to release it this month… I will be putting up a sneak preview of two tracks next week, so stay tun …
• NAIIA Nomination for One Drum Video!!!
  The One Drum legacy continues!!!!Greetings friends, fans, awesome people-One Drum, the video we made last year directed by Helen Haig-Brown and produced by Big Soul Productions, has been nominated for …
• I AM STILL HERE!!!
  Hi Folks-So sorry to those of you that have noticed that I have recently seemed to have dropped off the face of the earth. I have been very very busy writing for the new album. I spent a month in beau …
• THREE MORE APCMA NOMINATIONS!!!
  …

Various photos by: Dave Brosha, Nadya Kwandibens, James Kinistino, Jason Shafto, and audience members. Thanks to everyone who has provided these great photos.