JUNO-AWARD NOMINATED SONGWRITER TERRY UYARAK, TO RELEASE NEW EP, ATIILU!, OUT ON JUNE 21, 2022 (NATIONAL INDIGENOUS PEOPLES DAY) VIA AAKULUK MUSIC
WATCH / SHARE “ANIQSAATUINNARIT II” HERE
BUY / STREAM ATILU! EP TOMORROW HERE
Photo Credit : Andrew Morrison // DOWNLOAD HIGH-RES
Igloolik, Nunavut’s own Terry Uyarak returns with his sophomore EP, ATIILU! (“Ah-tea-loo!) set for release on National Indigenous Peoples Day (June 21, 2022) courtesy of Aakuluk Music. On the heels of finishing the Nunavut Quest, a 500km dog sled race, ATIILU! is the next iteration of Terry sharing the stories of love for his homeland. With ATIILU! Terry has taken a page out of Bob Dylan’s famous Newport Folk Festival set by ‘going electric’; exploring ancient forms of storytelling through modern sounds as he reimagines three songs from his JUNO Award nominated debut album, Nunarjua Isulinginniani.
“I am beyond thankful for being given a chance to make another album!,” says Uyarak. “Our time in life is our gift from our parents. This one is for my late dear mother Louise Qamaniq. For us to have united in the name of art, I believe that it is our job to give everyone back that there is hope in life, meaning looking back and love those memories that we get to make.”
WATCH / SHARE “ANIQSAATUINNARIT II” HERE
Today, the songwriter is sharing EP track “Aniqsaatuinnarit II” (Ah-nick-sa-twee-nah-reet), a loving reminder to listeners not to lose sight of the values and knowledge from the generations before that help navigate deeply challenging experiences. Even in the most devastating circumstance, whether it is a pandemic, unearthing of devastating colonial histories, or heartbreaking acts of war, the song reminds us to draw on the deep power of our ancestors and never forget to breathe.
“‘Aniqsaatuinnarit II’ has given me hope in life when I get a chance to sing it each time,” adds Uyarak. “We live once and we get to understand how we are given a chance each day.
BUY / STREAM ATILU! EP TOMORROW HERE
MORE ABOUT TERRY UYARAK
Uyarak is a self-taught singer/songwriter and musician from Igloolik, a small and vibrant Inuit community located north of the Arctic circle between the Canadian mainland and Baffin Island in Nunavut. Igloolik is one of those special places in the Canadian Arctic, where Inuit language and culture are still strongly embedded into everyday life, and there’s a strong sense of community within.
Terry is no stranger to the tight knit Nunavut music scene; for over a decade he performed as an actor, juggler, and musician, and toured around the globe with the only Inuit circus troupe in the world, ARTCIRQ. Most recently, Terry took part in the creation of and performed in a major multidisciplinary production, Unikkaaqtuaq, that toured across Canada in 2019. This kinship and involvement has led to some stellar collaborations, as Terry’s debut album Nunarjua Isulinginniani, also featured prominent Nunavut artists like Riit, Celina Kalluk, and Becky Han.
ATIILU! TRACKLIST
01 Aniqsatuinnarit II
02 Inuit Nunangat II
03 Tasiunnga II
TERRY UYARAK ONLINE
WEBSITE
INSTAGRAM
ABOUT AAKULUK MUSIC
The mission of Aakuluk Music is to help Nunavut musicians produce and promote their music. The label will help record, market, and distribute Inuktitut music nationally and internationally now, and for future generations of Inuit musicians. Aakuluk Music seeks to build hope through music and community, to encourage youth, and contribute to the preservation of the territory’s distinct culture.