Amanda Rheaume (born May 25, 1982) is a

Métis The Métis ( , , , ) are a mixed-race Indigenous people whose historical homelands include Canada's three Prairie Provinces extending into parts of Ontario, British Columbia, the Northwest Territories and the northwest United States. They ha ...

folk singer-songwriter from

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

. Born and raised in

Ottawa Ottawa is the capital city of Canada. It is located in the southern Ontario, southern portion of the province of Ontario, at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the cor ...

Ontario Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...

,Wes Smiderle, "Songs in the key of life". ''

Ottawa Citizen The ''Ottawa Citizen'' is an English-language daily newspaper owned by Postmedia Network in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. History Established as the Bytown ''Packet'' in 1845 by William Harris (journalist), William Harris, it was renamed the ''Ci ...

'', June 5, 2003. Rheaume is a member of the

Métis Nation of Ontario The Métis Nation of Ontario (MNO) is the government of Métis citizens and communities within Ontario that is recognized by the Canadian government. It is the democratic representative of the Métis communities represented by the MNO, with the ...

non-profit organization and has Objiwe/Anishinaabe ancestors from

Lac Seul, Ontario Lac Seul First Nation is an Ojibwe First Nation band government located on the southeastern shores of Lac Seul, northeast of the city of Dryden, Ontario. Though Lac Seul First Nation is a treaty signatory to Treaty 3, the First Nation is a me ...

.Glenn Wilkins
"Rheaume to sing out at Downie tribute concert"
'' Barrie Today'', January 24, 2018. She is the granddaughter of

Eugène Rhéaume Eugène "Gene" Rhéaume (December 3, 1932 – November 1, 2013) was a politician, insurance agent, and social worker from Northwest Territories, Canada. Life Born in High Prairie, Alberta, he was the eighth of nine children. Their father was F ...

, one of Canada's first

members of parliament.

Career

Rheaume released a number of EPs, and contributed a song to the 2003 Ottawa compilation ''Ottawa Indie Vibe'', before releasing her full-length debut album ''Light of Another Day'' in 2011. She supported the album with her first major national concert tour. She also travelled to

Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. It is bordered by Pakistan to the Durand Line, east and south, Iran to the Afghanistan–Iran borde ...

on several occasions to perform for servicemen in the Canadian military during the

War in Afghanistan War in Afghanistan, Afghan war, or Afghan civil war may refer to: *Conquest of Afghanistan by Alexander the Great (330 BC – 327 BC), the conquest of Afghanistan by the Macedonian Empire * Muslim conquests of Afghanistan, a series of campaigns in ...

, After delving into her family history in more depth, she began writing songs inspired by her Métis heritage on her 2013 album ''Keep a Fire''. The album won the

Canadian Folk Music Award The Canadian Folk Music Awards are an annual music awards ceremony presenting awards in a variety of categories for achievements in both traditional and contemporary folk music, and other roots music genres, by Canadian musicians. The awards pr ...

for Aboriginal Songwriter of the Year at the

10th Canadian Folk Music Awards The 10th Canadian Folk Music Awards was presented at The Bronson Centre in Ottawa, Ontario on November 29, 2014 and was hosted by the CBC's Shelagh Rogers and musician Benoit Bourque. Nominees and recipients Recipients are listed first and highl ...

in 2014, and was a

Juno Award The Juno Awards (stylized as JUNOS), or simply known as the Junos, are awards presented by Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences to recognize outstanding achievements in Canada's mu ...

nominee for Aboriginal Album of the Year at the

Juno Awards of 2014 The Juno Awards of 2014 honoured Canadian music industry achievements in the latter part of 2012 and in most of 2013. The awards were presented in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, during the weekend of 29–30 March 2014. The main ceremony took place ...

. In 2016 she followed up with ''Holding Patterns'', which was a CFMA nominee for Aboriginal Songwriter of the Year at the

12th Canadian Folk Music Awards The 12th Canadian Folk Music Awards were presented in Toronto, Ontario on December 3, 2016.

in 2016. In 2018, she performed the songs " Now for Plan A" and " The Stranger" at a

Gord Downie Gordon Edgar Downie (February 6, 1964 – October 17, 2017) was a Canadian rock singer-songwriter, musician, writer, poet, and activist. He was the singer and lyricist for the Canadian rock band The Tragically Hip, which he fronted from ...

tribute concert. In 2019 she released her fourth album, ''The Skin I'm In''. In 2021, Rheaume and ShoShonna Kish of the band Digging Roots cofounded Ishkōdé Records, which releases music by Rheaume, Digging Roots, and singer-songwriters

Aysanabee Aysanabee is an Oji-Cree singer-songwriter from Canada, whose debut album ''Watin'' was released in 2022.Jonathan Ore"Aysanabee's pandemic phone calls with his grandfather inspired his debut album" '' Unreserved'', November 4, 2022. Background ...

and Morgan Toney. Her 2022 album ''The Spaces in Between'' was produced by

Hill Kourkoutis Hill Kourkoutis (born 23 January 1988) is a Canadian songwriter, producer, mixer, engineer, multi-instrumentalist, director and actress. Biography Early life Hill was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada and is of Greek descent. She attended Toront ...

. She received her third CFMA nomination for Indigenous Songwriter of the Year at the 18th Canadian Folk Music Awards in 2023. Rheaume is director of operations for the International Indigenous Music Summit, and project coordinator for the creation of a National Indigenous Music Office.

Discography

EPs

*''Unravelling'' (2003) *''Even When'' (2005) *''If You Never Live'' (2007) *''Kiss Me Back'' (2009)Fateema Sayani, "The Rheaume world tour". ''

'', May 28, 2009.

Albums

*''Light of Another Day'' (2011) *''Keep a Fire'' (2013) *''Holding Patterns'' (2016) *''The Skin I'm In'' (2019) *''The Spaces in Between'' (2022) *''The Truth We Hold'' (2025)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Rheaume, Amanda 1982 births Living people 21st-century Canadian women singers Canadian women singer-songwriters Canadian folk singer-songwriters Members of the Métis Nation of Ontario Singers from Ottawa Canadian Folk Music Award winners 21st-century Canadian singer-songwriters Métis musicians