The National Music Centre is proud to unveil the 2025 recipients of the OHSOTO’KINO Recording Bursary: singer-songwriter Raymond Sewell and powwow and round dance artist Marlon Deschamps.
NMC is also now accepting submissions for the next edition of the OHSOTO’KINO Music Incubator. This opportunity is open to emerging Indigenous artists from across Canada and will take place at Studio Bell in Calgary, Alberta, from September 15-19, 2025. The OHSOTO’KINO Music Incubator program is open to emerging First Nations, Métis, and Inuit artists. Interested applicants can apply at studiobell.ca/ohsotokino by May 31, 2025 at 11:59 pm MT.
Raymond Sewell is an I’nu singer-songwriter, poet, and English professor from Pabineau First Nation, New Brunswick. Now based in Bedford, Nova Scotia, he is a proud promoter of Indigenous excellence and intellectualism, providing many public performances and lectures.
Hailing from the Cree Nation of Maskwacis, Alberta, Marlon Deschamps comes from a long lineage of singers. Singing since he could talk, he is a member of the acclaimed drum group Northern Cree. Deschamps has contributed to nine Grammy-nominated albums and has shared his music on world stages, including the New Orleans Jazz Festival and the 2017 Grammy Awards.
Launched in 2022 and supported by TD Bank Group, the OHSOTO’KINO Indigenous Programming Initiative is designed to uplift and empower Indigenous voices in the music industry. The name OHSOTO’KINO – a Blackfoot phrase meaning “to recognize a voice of” – honours the Blackfoot people and the traditional territory where the National Music Centre is located.
At its core, the initiative encompasses three pillars: Music creation in NMC’s state-of-the-art recording studios; artist development via a music incubator program; and storytelling and celebration through the Speak Up! exhibition and digital content on NMC’s Amplify platform.
The OHSOTO’KINO Recording Bursary offers recipients studio time in NMC’s recording spaces, along with access to its renowned “living collection” of rare and iconic musical instruments, all with the intention of producing a commercial release. Meanwhile, the OHSOTO’KINO Music Incubator fosters artistic growth by connecting emerging Indigenous artists with mentorship, career-building workshops, and live performance opportunities.
“In just a few short years, the OHSOTO’KINO initiative has had a remarkable impact by giving Indigenous artists access to NMC’s world-class facilities and expert support,” said David McLeod (Minegoziibe Anishinabe formally Pine Creek First Nation, Treaty 4), NMC Board Member and Chair of NMC’s National Indigenous Programming Advisory Committee. “From iconic instruments to cutting-edge studios with professional production staff, it’s an inspiring environment to create music that will ultimately connect to the Indigenous community. We’re thrilled to welcome this year’s bursary recipients, Raymond Sewell and Marlon Deschamps, and encourage emerging artists to apply for the music incubator and make the most of this exciting opportunity.”
Artists selected for the 2025 OHSOTO’KINO Music Incubator will be announced in the coming months. Final participants are chosen by NMC’s Indigenous Programming Advisory Committee, which helps guide Indigenous-led programs and exhibitions at Studio Bell.
