Teagan Littlechief SCMA Female Artist of the Year
July 2, 2024, 9:33 am
Ashley Bochek
Teagan Littlechief of White Bear First Nation is ecstatic about winning her first Female Artist of the Year Award at the Saskatchewan Country Music Awards (SCMA).
Littlchief has won previous awards at the SCMA, including Indigenous Artist of the Year, which she also won this year.
The Beginning
Littlechief grew up listening to her mom sing and was later inspired to take singing lessons.
"My mom sang a lot when I was very little. My music teacher heard me one day singing in the bathroom and she suggested to my mom that I take voice lessons, so from there I went to Shirley Dahlgren in Moosomin. I did voice lessons with her for years and entered a few competitions, and ever since GX94 Star Search in 2002 I have been on my country road."
Passion for singing
She says singing is a passion that has helped her overcome challenges.
"It is a passion of mine and it has gotten me out of a lot of hard times. My last release I did as a co-write with Jesse Weiman is called "Need You to Go" and I wrote it based off a relationship that was broken between my son and I. When it came time to choosing, I chose my family and my sobriety over something that I can't control—at least with my family and my music I can establish what I want for myself."
Littlechief is shocked at the number of people who know her name from singing and performing.
"I just always performed. I really didn't know that my name meant anything. I am still in shock over the weekend so it is very cool to know that Teagan Littlechief means something in Saskatchewan and in the association. I actually went into a store for clothes in Regina last month and the lady asked 'what are you getting clothes for' and I answered saying I had a performance and then she says, 'what is your first name?' and I said 'Teagan,' and the another lady in the next changing room said 'Teagan Littlechief?' and continued to talk about my music and how she loved listening to it. It put me in a position of thinking wow people know me."
"I have been getting songs from Sean Hogan, and other writers, and I co-wrote with a few people, but this year my main focus is either a co-write or a straight write for myself," Littlechief said.
Goals as a singer
Littlechief says she plans to continue to perform and accomplish many goals as a singer.
"Just to perform, meet new people, take in as much knowledge as I can from the industry for the path that I have chosen and be able to bring it back to communities that are unaware or don't understand the industry or are too afraid to step foot into it. That is the one thing that has held me back, is my fear of the unknown.
"I just got signed with Black Mountain Music and Media Management and my manager Pinky Celena Simms is the one who basically holds my hand when I venture into the world of music and it opens my eyes. When I come back home I get kids who ask, 'how do you do it? or where do you go?' and so I offer them to come on the road with me once and check it out."
A feeling unlike any other
Littlechief says there is no feeling like winning the SCMA awards and being recognized in the province for her singing.
"This year, last year, and the year before I have won SCMA awards. The first year ever winning was when Covid hit and everything was still transitioning from online to the world. It was three years ago, we had that big snow fall here where you couldn't even get out of the house, I was watching on my iPad and when they announced the winner I yelled 'Oh my God!' my son and his friend came upstairs and were concerned, but then I told them I had won the Indigenous Artist of the Year!
"This year for the Indigenous Artist of the Year, I was up against strong performers who have a bigger following and are signed with labels. I was very shocked and surprised when they called my name. Like it's me who is from the rez—that is what I call it, that is my home at White Bear First Nations. You got me tucked away in the Moose Mountain area and I don't really see a lot of anything unless I am on the road doing music. My following is not as big as everyone else's so when they called my name it was definitely a huge moment of 'Oh my God, and thank you God, thank you Jesus, and like oh Jesus take the wheel!' I literally went up there with no speech prepared for either awards.
"I was scrolling on Facebook and I came across a comment and it said, 'Teagan Littlechief is the first Indigenous to win Female Artist of the Year,' and I thought 'Wow that is cool!' I like that because now I hope that these little girls or little boys that love music see that it is possible. I think this is my second nomination in the Female Artist of the Year. I was up against Shantaia, Jordyn Pollard, Amy Nelson, and Katelyn Lennar, and I was just sitting there and my son asked if I wanted to move and I said, 'no no that is okay, I kind of have a feeling of who might win' and then when they announced me I sat there for four seconds in shock until my son finally said, 'Go!' I got up there and I was so emotional. I had always had a speech prepared for Female Artist of the Year somewhere in the back of my head and then when I got up there I just got so emotional."
Career Highlights
Littlechief says she has had many special moments throughout her singing career.
"I have signed with Black Mountain Music, Media, and Management, I have performed at TeleMiracle, I won the Queen's Jubilee Medal last year, and I always love performing. My days have picked up and last week I got the notification that I will be performing at the OSAC (Organization of Saskatchewan Arts Councils) Showcase in October in Saskatoon. (Local arts councils attend the showcase to choose the acts they will host in communities across the province over the next year.)
Writing Music
Littlechief is working on new songs right now.
"I am working on a project with Aaron Goodwin and I am working on a Christmas album, but we don't know if it is going to come out in 2024 or if it is going to be completed for 2025.
"Life experience influences me to write, and a lot of people are going through the same thing. I love how Jelly Roll does his thing—he has been an inspiration in the song-writing aspect in the sense of being able to talk about sobriety, talk about struggles, and that pain and make it so it is a powerful meaningful song."
Realizing dreams
Littlechief says winning Female Artist of the Year is one of her biggest achievements and most memorable moments.
"It ranks at the top. It was one of my dreams for a long time ever since joining SCMA, and I even started picking out a shelf. I like to put things out into the universe and pray about things. So I thought, I am going to be prepared for one day that I do win Female Artist of the Year. I want to have somewhere special to put my awards and my accomplishments. Female Artist of the Year has got to be in the top five for sure," Littlechief said.
Next Steps
Littlechief says she hopes to perform for International crowds. "I just hope my career takes me on the road. I want to go to Italy," she said. "I want to go where my music is played the most and go check it out. Mexico and Italy were in my top streams. I have had more plays on Spotify in Mexico, Italy, and Australia.
"I have always said I would love to perform outside of Canada and my dream place would be Italy. Then, I had an interview with a gentleman in the radio station in Italy a few months back and he said, 'your music is played so much here,' it is very cool and my dream would be to play there someday."
