Olivia Tail Feathers is a songstress from the Blood Tribe in Southern Alberta. Olivia has sung in many genres of music and created her own unique style of song through her musical experiences. She is a Blackfeet woman who grew up speaking the language and living the Plains native culture. During her first years of teaching in federal schools she realized the absence of indigenous song in the music curriculum. She has since created the native songs she carries with her today.
Olivia helped-to start-filling the gap of Traditional/Contemporary native song, in classrooms and community events. She is proud of her heritage and continues sharing her stories and songs. Olivia founded a youth singing grouping in 1994, the Kainai Grassland Singers, the movement of the tall grasses by the summer breeze, the image of her ancestors of the past gave her the passion and vision to re-create. Olivia has performed with many first nations singers, she gives credit to the Banff Center for the Arts in connecting with Indigenous singers from North America. Olivia is an international recording artist and was a singer in, ’Hearts of the Nations’ Compilation C.D. (Sweet Grass Records) and Ninihkssin C.D.’ (Arbor Records). She has credits in Documentary film and is featured in ‘Singing Our Stories, First Ladies of Indigenous Music’ NFB, and the ‘Intertribal Music Series’, CBC and APTN. Olivia was the recipient of the first ‘Keeper of Traditions Award’, CAMA 1999, Blackfoot Canadian Cultural Society Award 2021, Lifetime Arts Award 2021(BCCS), Teacher Excellence FNMI. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Education Degree from the University of Montana, Missoula, Montana. |