{{Short description|Canadian musician (born 1983)}} {{Infobox musical artist | 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 date and age|1983|07|26}} | 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 = http://www.Crystalshawandamusic.com }}

'''Crystal Shawanda''' (born July 26, 1983) is an Ojibwe Potawatomi blues and country music artist from Canada.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.the9513.com/artists-to-watch-in-2008-part-4-of-5-new-faces/|title=Artists to Watch in 2008 (Part 4 of 5): New Faces|website=The9513.com|access-date=2008-03-06|archive-date=2008-02-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080221220451/http://www.the9513.com/artists-to-watch-in-2008-part-4-of-5-new-faces/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=D'Cunha |first=Patricia |date=2020-06-02 |title='I'm just being me,' Crystal Shawanda says of her Indigenous roots, unique music |url=https://toronto.citynews.ca/2020/06/02/national-indigenous-history-month-crystal-shawanda/ |access-date=2025-12-25 |website=CityNews Toronto |language=en}}</ref> CMT documented her rise to fame in the six-part series ''Crystal: Living the Dream'', which was broadcast in February 2008.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/January2008/16/c9496.html|title=From Manitoulin Island to Music Row Crystal is living the dream on CMT|website=Newsire.ca|access-date=2008-03-06|archive-date=2008-06-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080626180939/http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/January2008/16/c9496.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Signed to RCA Nashville in 2007, she released her first single, "You Can Let Go", in Canada in January 2008.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://magmedia.blogspot.com/2008/01/canadian-crystal-shawanda-you-can-let.html|title=MAGMEDIA: Canadian > Crystal Shawanda > You Can Let Go|website=Magmedia.blogspot.com|access-date=2008-03-06|archive-date=2011-07-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708051841/http://magmedia.blogspot.com/2008/01/canadian-crystal-shawanda-you-can-let.html|url-status=live}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.cmt.ca/News/NewsItem.aspx?news_id=7125|title=Crystal Clearly Doing Great|website=Cmt.ca|access-date=2008-03-06|archive-date=2015-06-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150610204110/http://www.cmt.ca/News/NewsItem.aspx?news_id=7125|url-status=live}}</ref> It was released in the United States on February 25, 2008.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.musicrow.com/calendar/CSC002|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071028100521/http://www.musicrow.com/calendar/CSC002|url-status=dead|title=MusicRow Singles Calendar|archivedate=October 28, 2007}}</ref> and reached #2 on the American Mediabase chart. In 2009, she was named CCMA Female artist of the year<ref>{{Cite web |title=Search Past CCMA Award Winners And Nominees - Canadian Country Music Association |url=https://members.ccma.org/cgi/page.cgi/past_award_winners.html?meta_nominee=Crystal+Shawanda&meta_category=&meta_year=&meta_year=&type=award&section_id=1&log=do_search_form |access-date=2026-03-25 |website=members.ccma.org}}</ref> and went on to win the JUNO award for Aboriginal Album of the Year in 2013.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Winners + Nominees |url=https://junoawards.ca/awards/winners-nominees/ |access-date=2026-03-25 |website=The JUNO Awards |language=en-US}}</ref> 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, and the first to appear in the Top 10 of the American Billboard Blues chart in 2022.{{Citation needed|date=October 2024}}

== 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.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.sootoday.com/local-entertainment/crystal-shawanda-finds-her-wings-604507|title=Crystal Shawanda finds her wings|work=SooToday.com|access-date=2018-03-14|language=en|archive-date=2018-03-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180315004217/https://www.sootoday.com/local-entertainment/crystal-shawanda-finds-her-wings-604507|url-status=live}}</ref> Her surname translates to "Dawn of a New Day",<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://hearsomethingcountry.com/artists/shawanda.html|title=HearSomethingCountry.com|date=June 2, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080602084339/http://hearsomethingcountry.com/artists/shawanda.html|archive-date=2008-06-02}}</ref> 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.{{Citation needed|date=October 2024}} 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.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.manitoulin.ca/2016/04/27/crystal-shawanda-talks-two-new-albums-set-release-summer/|title=Crystal Shawanda talks about her two new albums set to release this summer|last=Burridge|first=Robin|date=2016-04-27|work=Manitoulin Expositor|access-date=2018-03-14|language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180315070442/http://www.manitoulin.ca/2016/04/27/crystal-shawanda-talks-two-new-albums-set-release-summer/|archive-date=2018-03-15|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==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.<ref>[http://www.sonybmgnashville.com/pressreleases/details.cfm?artistid=1000010&pressid=1000520]{{dead link|date=August 2017|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}}</ref>

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".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nashville.com/music/2010/11/crystal-shawanda-to-perform-at-macys-thanksgiving-day-parade/ |title=Crystal Shawanda to Perform at Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade « Nashville.com |accessdate=2014-02-15 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222192231/http://www.nashville.com/music/2010/11/crystal-shawanda-to-perform-at-macys-thanksgiving-day-parade/ |archivedate=2014-02-22 }}</ref> 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.{{Citation needed|date=October 2024}} 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=== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |- ! rowspan="2" style="width:16em;"| Title ! rowspan="2" style="width:22em;"| Album details ! colspan="2"| Peak chart<br />positions |- style="font-size:smaller;" ! width="45"| US Country<br><ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/crystal-shawanda/chart-history/clp/|title=Crystal Shawanda- Country Albums|magazine=Billboard|accessdate=April 30, 2019}}</ref> ! width="45"| US<br /><ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/crystal-shawanda/chart-history/tlp/|title=Crystal Shawanda - Billboard 200|magazine=Billboard|accessdate=April 30, 2019}}</ref> |- ! scope="row"| ''Dawn of a New Day'' | * Release date: June 24, 2008 * Label: RCA Nashville | 16 | 81 |- ! scope="row"| ''I'll Be Home for Christmas'' | * Release date: December 1, 2009 * Label: New Sun/EMI/On Ramp Records | — | — |- ! scope="row"| ''Just Like You'' | * Release date: April 24, 2012 * Label: New Sun Records/Fontana North | — | — |- ! scope="row"| ''The Whole World's Got the Blues'' | * Release date: September 30, 2014 * Label: New Sun Records | — | — |- ! scope="row"| ''Fish Out of Water'' | * Release date: October 2016 * Label: New Sun Records | — | — |- ! scope="row"| ''Voodoo Woman'' | * Release date: October 31, 2017 * Label: New Sun Records/Fontana North | — | — |- |- ! scope="row"| ''Church House Blues'' | * Release date: April 17, 2020 * Label: True North Records | — | — |- ! scope="row"| ''Midnight Blues '' | * Release date: 2022 * Label: True North Records |8 | — |- | colspan="4" style="font-size:8pt" | "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released to that territory |- |}

===Singles===

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |- ! rowspan="2"| Year ! rowspan="2" style="width:18em;"| Single ! colspan="3"| Peak positions ! rowspan="2"| Album |- style="font-size:smaller;" ! width="45"| CAN Country<br><ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/crystal-shawanda/chart-history/ccw/|title=Crystal Shawanda - Canada Country|magazine=Billboard|accessdate=April 30, 2019}}</ref> ! width="45"| CAN<br><ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/crystal-shawanda/chart-history/can/|title=Crystal Shawanda - Canadian Hot 100|magazine=Billboard|accessdate=April 30, 2019|archive-date=November 18, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211118011722/https://www.billboard.com/artist/crystal-shawanda/chart-history/can/|url-status=live}}</ref> ! width="45"| US Country<br><ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/crystal-shawanda/chart-history/csi/|title=Crystal Shawanda - Country Songs|magazine=Billboard|accessdate=April 30, 2019|archive-date=November 18, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211118001800/https://www.billboard.com/artist/crystal-shawanda/chart-history/csi/|url-status=live}}</ref> |- | rowspan="3"| 2008 ! scope="row"| "You Can Let Go"<sup><span id="ref_A"></span>[[#endnote_a|'''[a]''']]</sup> | 5 | 60 | 21 | align="left" rowspan="5"| ''Dawn of a New Day'' |- ! scope="row"| "What Do I Have to Do" | 5 | 79 | — |- ! scope="row"| "My Roots Are Showing" | 12 | 87 | 57 |- | rowspan="2"| 2009 ! scope="row"| "Dawn of a New Day" | 7 | 90 | — |- ! scope="row"| "Try" | 24 | — | — |- | rowspan="2"| 2010 ! scope="row"| "Beautiful Day" | 39 | — | — | align="left" rowspan="8"| ''Just Like You'' |- ! scope="row"| "Fight for Me" | — | — | — |- | rowspan="2"| 2011 ! scope="row"| "This Fever" | — | — | — |- ! scope="row"| "Love Enough" | — | — | — |- | rowspan="3"| 2012 ! scope="row"| "Closer" | 32 | — | — |- ! scope="row"| "Down on Broadway" | — | — | — |- ! scope="row"| "Chains" | — | — | — |- | 2013 ! scope="row"| "Someone Who Loves You" | — | — | — |- | 2016 ! scope="row"| "Laid Back" | — | — | — | align="left"| ''Fish Out of Water'' |- | colspan="6" style="font-size:8pt"| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released to that territory |}

;Notes {{refbegin}} *a<span id="endnote_a" ></span>'''^''' "You Can Let Go" also reached number nine on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart.<ref name="whitburn">{{cite book|last=Whitburn|first=Joel|title=Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2008|publisher=Record Research, Inc|page=376|year=2008|isbn=978-0-89820-177-2}}</ref> {{refend}}

====As a featured artist==== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |- ! rowspan="2"| Year ! rowspan="2" style="width:18em;"| Single ! Peak positions ! rowspan="2"| Album |- style="font-size:smaller;" ! width="65"| CAN Country<br><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/george-canyon/chart-history/ccw/|title=George Canyon - Canada Country|website=Billboard.com|accessdate=April 30, 2019}}</ref> |- | 2009 ! scope="row"| "In Your Arms Again"<br>{{small|(George Canyon featuring Crystal Shawanda)}} | 16 | ''What I Do'' |}

===Music videos=== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" |- ! Year ! style="width:18em;"| Video ! Director |- | 2008 ! scope="row"| "You Can Let Go" | Margaret Malandruccolo |- | 2009 ! scope="row"| "I'll Be Home for Christmas" | |- | 2010 ! scope="row"| "Beautiful Day" | Stephano Barberis |- | 2012 ! scope="row"| "Down on Broadway" | |}

==Awards and nominations== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Year ! Organization ! Category ! Result |- | rowspan="11"| 2008 | rowspan="3" align="center"| Aboriginal Peoples Choice Awards | Best New Artist of the Year | {{won}}<ref name="APCA2008">{{Cite web |url=https://winnipeg.ctvnews.ca/winnipeg-act-big-winners-at-apcma-1.341044 |title=CTV Winnipeg- Winnipeg act big winners at APCMA - CTV News |date=8 November 2008 |access-date=2009-01-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706175049/http://winnipeg.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20081108/wpg_apcma_081108/20081108?hub=WinnipegHome |archive-date=2011-07-06 |url-status=dead }}</ref> |- | Best Country Album of the Year - ''Dawn of a New Day'' | {{won}}<ref name="APCA2008" /> |- | Best Single of the Year - "You Can Let Go" | {{won}}<ref name="APCA2008" /> |- | rowspan="5" align="center"| Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards | Best Artist of the Year | {{won}}<ref name="CAMA2008">{{Cite web |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 |access-date=2009-01-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090327045359/http://www.canab.com/pdfs/press_release/2008/2008_CAMA_WINNERS_RELEASE.pdf|archive-date=2009-03-27 |url-status=dead }}</ref> |- | Best Album of the Year - ''Dawn of a New Day'' | {{won}}<ref name="CAMA2008" /> |- | Best Country Album of the Year | {{won}}<ref name="CAMA2008" /> |- | Best Music Video of the Year - "You Can Let Go" | {{won}}<ref name="CAMA2008" /> |- | Best Single of the Year - "You Can Let Go" | {{won}}<ref name="CAMA2008" /> |- | rowspan="5" align="center"| Canadian Country Music Association | Single of the Year - "You Can Let Go" | {{nom}}<ref name="CCMA2008">{{Cite web|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|url-status=dead|title=2008 CCMA Awards Nominees|archivedate=June 26, 2011}}</ref> |- | Female Artist of the Year | {{nom}}<ref name="CCMA2008" /> |- | Program/Special of the Year | {{nom}}<ref name="CCMA2008" /> |- | rowspan="5"| 2009 | Album of the Year - ''Dawn of a New Day'' | {{nom}} |- | Female Artist of the Year | {{won}} |- | align="center"| Canadian Radio Music Awards | Best New Country Artist | {{won}}<ref name="CRMA2009">{{Cite web |url=http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.viewcustom&friendId=100103638&blogId=478684212&swapped=true |title=Announcement |access-date=2009-03-24 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20121130005129/http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.viewcustom&friendId=100103638&blogId=478684212&swapped=true |archive-date=2012-11-30 |url-status=dead }}</ref> |- | rowspan="2" align="center"| Juno Awards | Best New Artist | {{nom}}<ref name="juno2009">{{Cite web|url=https://vancouversun.com/Entertainment/dawn+Shawanda/1417757/story.html|title=It's a new dawn for Shawanda|website=Vancouversun.com}}{{Dead link|date=May 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> |- | Country Recording of the Year | {{nom}}<ref name="juno2009" /> |- | 2010 | align="center"| Canadian Country Music Association | Female Artist of the Year | {{nom}}<ref name="CCMA2010">{{Cite web|url=http://www.ccma.org/press_release.cfm?PressReleaseID=0601J44E524880441|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140328131108/http://www.ccma.org/press_release.cfm?PressReleaseID=0601J44E524880441|url-status=dead|title=2010 CCMA Awards Nominees|archivedate=March 28, 2014}}</ref> |- | 2013 | align="center"| Juno Awards | Aboriginal Album of the Year | {{won}}<ref name="Juno Awards 2013">{{Cite web|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/1559049/juno-awards-2013-carly-rae-jepsen-leonard-cohen-are-early-winners|title=Juno Awards 2013: Carly Rae Jepsen, Leonard Cohen Are Early Winners|date=April 21, 2013|website=Billboard.com|access-date=April 23, 2013|archive-date=April 25, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130425050613/http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/1559049/juno-awards-2013-carly-rae-jepsen-leonard-cohen-are-early-winners|url-status=live}}</ref> |- |2015 |Juno Awards |Aboriginal Album of the Year |{{nom}}<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://junoawards.ca/nomination/2015-aboriginal-album-of-the-year-sponsored-by-aboriginal-peoples-television-network-crystal-shawanda/|title=2015 {{!}} Aboriginal Album of the Year (Sponsored by Aboriginal Peoples Television Network) {{!}} Crystal Shawanda {{!}} The JUNO Awards|work=The JUNO Awards|access-date=2018-03-14|language=en-US|archive-date=2018-03-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180315003736/http://junoawards.ca/nomination/2015-aboriginal-album-of-the-year-sponsored-by-aboriginal-peoples-television-network-crystal-shawanda/|url-status=live}}</ref> |- |2017 |Juno Awards |Indigenous Music Album of the Year |{{nom}}<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://junoawards.ca/nomination/indigenous-music-album-of-the-year-crystal-shawanda/|title=INDIGENOUS MUSIC ALBUM OF THE YEAR {{!}} Crystal Shawanda {{!}} The JUNO Awards|work=The JUNO Awards|access-date=2018-03-14|language=en-US|archive-date=2018-03-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180315003659/http://junoawards.ca/nomination/indigenous-music-album-of-the-year-crystal-shawanda/|url-status=live}}</ref> |- |2017 |Indigenous Music Awards |Best Producer/Engineer (for New Sun Records – ''Missy Knott/My Sister's Heart'') |{{nom}}<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://exclaim.ca/music/article/here_are_the_winners_of_the_2017_indigenous_music_awards|title=Here Are the Winners of the 2017 Indigenous Music Awards|website=Exclaim.ca|language=en|access-date=2018-03-14|archive-date=2018-03-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180315134017/http://exclaim.ca/music/article/here_are_the_winners_of_the_2017_indigenous_music_awards|url-status=live}}</ref> |}

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== {{wikiquote}} {{commons}} * [http://crystalshawandamusic.com/ Crystal Shawanda]

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Shawanda, Crystal}} Category:Living people Category:1983 births Category:21st-century Canadian singer-songwriters Category:21st-century Canadian women singers Category:21st-century First Nations musicians Category:21st-century First Nations women Category:Canadian Country Music Association Female Artist of the Year winners Category:Canadian country singer-songwriters Category:Canadian women country singers Category:Juno Award for Indigenous Music Album of the Year winners Category:Singers from Ontario Category:Canadian Ojibwe people Category:People from Manitoulin Island Category:RCA Records Nashville artists Category:Canadian blues singers Category:Juno Award for Blues Album of the Year winners Category:First Nations women singers Category:Ojibwe musicians