ABOUT MIMI O’BONSAWIN
Mimi O’Bonsawin is a contemporary roots singer-songwriter born in Northeastern Ontario and is mixed French Canadian & Abénaki,a member of Odanak First-Nation. Through her rhythm and story-driven songs, Mimi’s music embraces the beauty of The Land. The ethereal quality of her music whisks you away with uplifting melodies and introspective lyrics that weave pop sensibilities with acoustic instruments. The layers of percussion and surprising harmonies make you feel the music rather than just hear it.
“Making music and growing food are very much the same. They both start with a seed, and with proper care, can grow into a beautiful garden that we all can share. I put intention and love into every seed and every note,” Mimi says.
Fresh off a Spring tour in France, which included Festivals and Sold Out Concerts, Mimi performs as a duo with her husband Ryan Schurman on drums making it an intimate yet uplifting experience for the audience.
While touring in France Spring 2024, Mimi released her first ever Live Album ‘LIVE IN CONCERT’ May 2024 which captures her favourite moments from an Willow album release tour concert in her hometown of Sudbury, ON.
Willow released March 2023, (independent) features four singles, “Here’s to the Women”, “I am Alive”, “I Wish I Was a Farmer” and “The River”.
“Willow” is a collection of 14 songs, with an album cover so welcoming in its own right that I wish I could just take off my shoes and lay under that willow tree while I listen.” - Great Dark Wonder.
In Sept 29 2023, Mimi also released her first Full Length French Album Boréale, an intimate reflection of where she comes from. Just like her previous release, this album was produced and recorded in Mimi and Ryan’s log home studio. “Just like the bark of the willow tree, the making of this album has brought me so much healing. I have never felt more alive.” Boréale was nominated at the Capital Music Awards for Album of the Year and at the Northern Ontario Music and Film Awards (NOMFA) for Best album by and Indigenous Artists & Best album by a Francophone Artist.
For many years, Mimi struggled to find her ‘sound’, her ‘voice’. “This album sounds like the music I have always heard in my heart.” Mimi adds; “It is honest, it is real and it is full of life. I feel like all of my previous albums have led me to where I am now, learning and growing at every chapter.”
It is important to note that no software instruments were used in the making of this album. All of the instruments are real and recorded live. Mimi and Ryan draw on a wide range of percussive and acoustic instruments in their home and weave them with sounds from the land and vocal play. “I like to paint with instruments and leave space for intention and breath.”
Mimi’s album, Elle danse (2020), also a self-produced French EP, was nominated for Best New Artist & Best EP at the Trille Or Awards (2020) which recognizes francophone artists outside of Quebec. Additionally, the album was among ELMNT FM’s top 10 Best Albums of 2020. Since Elle danse, Mimi has been performing for both the English and the French audiences. On Télé Québec’s program ‘Belle & Bum’, Mimi performed her song “Elle danse” and was subsequently featured in two Radio-Canada documentaries. In 2019, Mimi was awarded Best Pop Album at the Indigenous Music Awards with her album Connected.The launch of Mimi’s instrumental album Fiddleheads & Ferns has led her and Ryan to pursue composing instrumental music such as the theme song for Radio-Canada’s «Le matin du nord» and an important segment of music for the Parliament Hill light show in Ottawa 2022. Fiddleheads & Ferns Won “Best Folk/Trad/Country Album” at the Trille Or Awards 2023.
On the heals of 2023, Mimi’s busiest year yet, 2024 is off to a great start. A Sold Out concert at the National Arts Center Fourth Stage in Ottawa, a successful Spring tour in France and an upcoming Coast to Coast Summer Tour, Mimi O’Bonsawin and her band find their ‘happy place’ on stage.
“ I want to invite the audience into my Universe because for me, Music is Medicine. It’s not mine, it’s not yours, Music is something we all share, much like a garden.”
NOTABLE PERFORMANCES
2024 Pop Montreal Rialto Theatre Direct Support for Beverly Glenn Copeland
2024 Official Showcase at Contact East & Folk Music Ontario (watch)
2024 Canada Life Center Winnipeg for National Truth and Reconcilliation Week
2024 Stan Rogers Festival, Canso NS
2024 Uxbridge Music Hall / SpringTide Festival. Opening for The Good Lovelies (SOLD OUT)
2024 Festival Changez D’air - Lyon, France (And Spring France Tour 8 dates)
2024 National Art Center Fourth Stage SOLD OUT - Ottawa, ON
2023- MaMA Music Conference- Paris, France
2023- NCTR Gidinawendimin at TD Place- Ottawa,ON
2023- Festival Les Zébrures d’Automne- Limoges, France
2023- Summerfolk Festival- Owen Sound, ON
2023-North American Indigenous Games- Halifax,NS
2023- RBC Ottawa Bluesfest- Ottawa, ON
2023- Full House Album Release Concert - Place des Arts Sudbury (6 tickets short of Sold Out)
2023- Full House Album Release Concert - National Arts Center Fourth Stage- Ottawa
2023- Album Release Concert at Small World Music (8 Tickets short of Sold Out)- Toronto
2022- Cavalcade of Lights Nathan Phillips Square - Toronto,ON
2022- Vancouver Island Music Fest- Courtenay BC
2022- National Center for Truth and Reconciliation Concert at Paramount Foods Stadium- Mississauga , ON ( 5000 audience)
2021- Belle et Bum - Télé Québec W
Mimi O’Bonsawin Band
Ryan Schurman - Drums/Percussion/Sample Pad
Nic Seguin - FOH
Photo by Sacha Laliberté-Radio Canada
Synch & Composing
Comission Works - Ongoing
Voice Over Work- Ongoing
Working from Log Home Studio
Composer for NAGAMO - An Indigenous Curated Catalogue
Notable Synch Placements & compositions:
2022- Radio Canada Theme song ‘Matin du Nord’
2022- Light & Sound Show - Parliment Hill Ottawa,ON
2021-Ontario Highlands Tourism WATCH HERE
2021-Precious Leader Women Documentary
2019-CBC’s TRICKSTER Trailer ( Nagamo) WATCH HERE
2017-Ray Donnavon (E1S5)
ongoing-APTN’s Mohawk Girls
RECENT MEDIA
Review ATUVU.CA Pop Montreal (2024) Critique FR Pop Montreal
Performance Review (2024) : Roots Music Canada / Springtide Music Festival
Live Album (2024) : CBC Radio Interview
Live Album (2024) France: Soul Kitchen
Live Album (2024) : Radio Canada
Interview France (2024): Festival Changez D’air, Lyon-France
BORÉALE Album : Radio-Canada
Willow Album review : Great Dark Wonder
Willow Concert Review: The Sound Café
Published Column "A Touring Musician’s Journey into Growing Food” in Canadian Musician Magazine
A Day to Listen- Downie Wenjack Foundation
Radio Canada - Matin du Nord Theme Song
Sudbury.com - ‘A Love Letter to her Community’
CTV NEWS Sept 2022
Publicity by What’s the Story/Beth Cavanagh
AWARDS & NOMINATIONS
2024 Canadian Folk Music Awards Nominee for Mimi O’Bonsawin ‘Live in Concert’
2024 Ontario Folk Music Awards Nominee for Performing Artist of the Year
2024 Northern Ontario Music and Film Awards (NOMFA) Nominations Outstanding Album by an Indigenous Artist & Meilleur Album Francophone.
2024 Capital Music Awards Nomiations:Solo Artist of the Year, Album of the Year ‘Boréale’, Songwriter of the Year ‘Willow’
2023 Grammy Consideration for Best Regional Roots Album “Willow”
2023 Nominated Solo Artist of the Year, Songwriter of the Year, Music Video of the year at Capital Music Awards.
2023 Trille Or Awards WINNER Fiddleheads & Ferns-Best Folk/Country/Trad Album of the year
2020 Nominated Best EP & Best New Artist at TRILLE OR AWARDS
2019 Awarded Best Pop Album at INDIGENOUS MUSIC AWARDS
2017 Nominated Best Music Video for Beautiful Place at Northern Ontario Music & Film Awards (NOMFA)
2017 Nominated Best Songwriter at Toronto Independent Music Awards
2017 Awarded Best Music Video for HOW LONG at Toronto Independent Music Awards
2015 Nominated Best Songwriter at Northern Ontario Music & Film Awards (NOMFA)
Recent Career Highlights
Sold Out Concert at the National Arts Center - Fourth Stage- Ottawa,ON
Tour in France Spring 2024 including Festival Changez D’Air - SOLD OUT
Willow Album Track by Track on SiriusXM Indigivers
Was part of A Day to Listen for the Downie Wenjack Foundation - Heard across canada on over 500 radio stations. Listen Here
Composed theme song for Radio Canada’s program ‘Le Matin du Nord’.
Here’s to the Women & I Wish I was a Farmer Single added to Indigivers on Sirius XM.
Lyrics composer for Music Monday song 2022.
Composed a part of the Sound & Light Show on Parliament Hill in Ottawa.
Performed on Belle et Bum - Télé Québec 2021.
Elle Danse EP was on ELMNT FM’s - Top 10 Albums of 2020.
Featured on Radio Canada’s Mini Docu. Series - “TOUT INCLU” WATCH HERE .
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