The Cree singer-songwriter draws on cultural reconnection, sobriety and lived experience to create music that offers hope while advocating for better support for Indigenous artists.
By Chevi Rabbit, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
(ANNews) – “We are a lot more alike than we are different. And I really believe that everyone just wants love, everyone just wants to be accepted.”
For Cree singer-songwriter Jessa Sky, music is more than a career. It is a way to process difficult experiences, reconnect with her culture and turn personal struggles into something that may help others feel less alone.
Originally from Fort McKay First Nation in Treaty 8 territory, about 45 minutes outside Fort McMurray, Sky is now based in the Edmonton area in Treaty 6 territory. Although she did not grow up in her home community, her journey toward sobriety and cultural reconnection has brought her closer to her roots and helped her better understand her identity.
In 2018, Sky attended Poundmaker’s Lodge, a treatment centre outside Edmonton, where she began exploring her identity as a Cree woman and experiencing a sweat lodge ceremony. She described the experience as a turning point in her understanding of herself and her culture, saying, “That was really where I started to find my identity in being a Cree woman and all of the stuff that comes with that, experiencing a sweat lodge ceremony.”
Her journey is connected to her mother, a residential school survivor who was adopted and raised by a white family. Sky said she witnessed the shame her mother carried over the loss of cultural connection. “I could see the shame in her, feeling self-blame and shame that it was not her fault that it was taken away from her,” Sky said.
Through sobriety and cultural reconnection, Sky said she saw a change in her family’s relationship with their heritage. “Within me finding my sobriety and my journey, it also helped my family and my mom feel more proud that it doesn’t matter what happened to her; it just matters how you connect back to your culture.” For Sky, reconnecting with culture is a way to move forward while recognizing the experiences of previous generations.
Cree singer-songwriter Jessa Sky.
Music as a form of healing
Sky draws directly from her life when writing music, using songwriting to express emotions that can be difficult to communicate in conversation. “I don’t write music just for music. I do it because it’s, like, who I am and what I’m experiencing at that time,” she said.
Songs such as We’re Not Lost, Burning and Anxiety reflect experiences involving pain, joy, grief, mental health and cultural reconnection. Her songwriting allows her to express feelings that can sometimes be difficult to communicate in conversation. “I find I express myself the most healthy through music because a lot of the time I can’t express how I’m feeling while talking,” she said.
Turning difficult experiences into songs allows Sky to create something meaningful from moments of pain. She hopes her music helps listeners recognize that they are not alone. “I’m very proud to be able to channel it into a song, and that’s, like, 1% of the puzzle, and I’m very honoured and grateful that I have an outlet where I can turn something so dark into something beautiful, and in hopes that it gives it purpose to help someone else.”
However, sharing personal struggles through music does not mean those struggles disappear. “I feel like me sharing my music, it’s great that it’s helping people, but what I’ve been finding is I really am going through stuff behind the scenes, and it doesn’t get any easier,” she said.
Sky wants people to understand that artists who inspire others also experience difficult days. “I’m still human, and I want to bring another layer to mental health for people even listening, that you can feel okay one day and completely shattered the next day, and both still matter.”
She has also learned that helping others must not come at the expense of her own well-being. Reflecting on a time when she put other people’s needs ahead of her own, she said, “I feel like I got to a place where I was just trying to help everyone around me, and I was dying inside.” Her experience has reinforced the importance of setting boundaries and remembering to care for herself while continuing to support others.
Living the teachings and finding strength
Sky incorporates the Seven Teachings into her healing journey, using them to reflect on her choices and relationships. “I really try to live the seven teachings, not only for just me, but for my healing journey,” she said.
She recognizes that reconnecting with her spiritual beliefs and community can help her regain perspective during difficult periods. “When I’m not acting out of the seven teachings, I’m acting out in either pain or fear, and that’s a good indication that I need to get back on track and connect with Creator and God, whatever you want to call it, and also connect with the people that know me within the communities.”
Her understanding of herself as an artist has also changed. She once struggled with her sensitivity but now sees it as a quality she can channel into her creativity. “As an artist, I feel everything. Like I’m so sensitive. I used to be so mad at myself for it, but now I’m like, no, that’s actually a superpower. I just need to know how to, like, channel it and not let certain things consume me.”
Advocating for Indigenous artists
Sky is grateful for the opportunities she has received as an Indigenous artist, but she believes more support is needed for independent musicians beyond performances and showcases. “Being an Indigenous woman and an Indigenous artist has completely been so vital and meaningful and purposeful, and has helped me so much within the six years I’ve been doing this,” she said.
Indigenous music events can help artists build relationships, meet industry professionals and reach new audiences. However, Sky said independent musicians may face financial pressures when they must cover expenses out of pocket. She wants organizers and industry leaders to consider what support artists need after events conclude, including in the months that follow.
Sky also believes artists need safe environments where they can offer honest feedback without fearing that speaking up could affect future opportunities. Reflecting on her experiences, she said, “At the end of the day sometimes your voice gets silenced, and you don’t realize it in that moment.”
She is determined to use her voice and help emerging Indigenous musicians learn from her experiences. “Now that I’m almost 31, I have a voice and I’m going to use this, and I will not be disrespected.”
Her commitment extends beyond her own career. “If my mistakes can help an upcoming artist, I will definitely try to help them or give them advice so they don’t go through the things that I went through.” For Sky, supporting the next generation means helping create an environment where Indigenous artists can develop their careers while being heard and respected.
Finding connection through music
Beyond the music industry, Sky hopes her work encourages people to focus on what connects them rather than what divides them. She believes people often seek the same things: love, acceptance and a sense of belonging.
“I really hope people focus more on the small things that make us connected than the negative things that we seem to highlight these days, because I believe that we can all win, we can all succeed,” she said.
Sky believes people can feel powerless when faced with larger social challenges, but small actions can still make a difference. “It’s like we’re always focused on this bigger perspective, and then we feel powerless. But it’s like focus on who you are today and what you can do within your own life.”
She describes this year as a period of self-exploration and continued healing. “This year has been a lot of self-exploration and really realizing there’s so many more layers to me that need healing,” she said.
Sky also recognizes the importance of human connection, particularly during difficult periods. Reflecting on the interview, she said, “Moments when someone like you reaches out to do an interview, that little moment, when I’m in a really dark place, it’s like such a blessing, and I really believe Creator brings those moments to me as I need them.”
Through her songwriting, cultural reconnection and advocacy, Sky continues to turn her experiences into something that reaches beyond herself. Her story is not about having every answer or overcoming every challenge. It is about continuing to learn, finding purpose in difficult moments and helping others feel seen.
Her message is a reminder that caring for others begins with recognizing the importance of caring for oneself. As Sky said, “And also to maybe people that are reading this or listening to this or however it works, to also just remember to take care of themselves.”
Connect with Jessa Sky
- Official website: com
- Instagram: @jessaskyy
- Facebook: Jessa Sky
- TikTok: @jessaskyy
- YouTube: Jessa Sky
- All social links: Linktree
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