Shawnee From She King Never Misses A Thing

RPM asked the lead singer from Toronto band She King a few questions and found out that Shawnee definitely doesn't miss a thing.

She King, a musical collective based out of Toronto, is fronted by Shawnee, a Six Nations vocalist who is redefining the look and sound of contemporary rock music with her style and outlook on what it means to be a female on the stage. RPM is happy to share this interview with you.

RPM: What’s your name?

Shawnee: Shawnee - meaning fighter and warrior  and my family calls me radar cause I never miss a thing.

RPM: What’s your Nation?

Shawnee: My mother's side is from Six Nations.

RPM: How does your Indigenous culture inspire your music creation?

Shawnee: My culture inspires my music everyday. I am proud to be apart of my family and proud to know that my family fights to keep our culture alive. My music career at times is a fight for my place and right as myself and being true to who i am was a gift learned and passed down from my mother.

RPM: Growing up, what were your major musical influences?

Shawnee: My major music influence is Melissa Etheridge. I can remember listening to her music all the way from the age of 4. Her spirit and her words she puts into her creations is admirable.

RPM: What thoughts do you have about the labelling of Aboriginal music in Canada and in the global scene?

Shawnee: Labeling unfortunately seems to be what we do best. I can tell you that I walk my life carefully not to box and label anyone or anything. And I find myself making conscious decisions to never fit in one place, to never be able to sit in one spot for too long. The good news is I feel a change coming.

RPM: When did She King start as a band?

Shawnee: She King started about 2 years back. She King has been transforming and morphing since. There are a lot of changes in the works that I cant wait to share.

RPM: What else do you do other than music?

Shawnee: Other then concentrating on my own music I co-write with other artists, I co-produce with other producers and any extra time I spend either in the gym, cooking for friends or spending with my family.

RPM: If you could work with any artist past or present, who would that be and why?

Shawnee: Elvis, hands down if i could work with any artist it would be the man that single handily made the biggest success in music by simply entertaining with seemingly his heart not his head.

RPM: Future plans for "She King"?

Shawnee: She King's future is transforming - you are certainly going to see a lot of changes and new and exciting things in the works.

RPM: If you had advice to give you young artists getting into the music industry...what would it be?

Shawnee: My advice to any artist especially young is to find yourself in what ever way you can without being lead or transformed into what people around you might want you to be - hold on to who you are and never let go.

RPM: Anything else you want to promote or shout out?

Shawnee: The album will be out early next year. We are working hard behind the scenes and I have lots of stories to tell when it's finished.

You can check out Shawnee and She King on Facebook, Myspace, and their YouTube Channel.