The “Indigenous Adele” Ottawa’s Alicia Kayley Makes Her Debut With Two Singles On Crystal Shawanda’s Record Label
New Sun Music is proud to announce the simultaneous release of “New Beginnings” and “Don’t Break My Heart,” the debut double single from Alicia Kayley, dubbed the “Indigenous Adele” by the Ottawa Citizen, out now. A rising voice in Pop/R&B and Blues/Soul, Kayley arrives fully formed on these first two offerings – together painting a vivid portrait of an artist fluent in both tender vulnerability and hard-won clarity. Produced in partnership with Crystal Shawanda’s celebrated Nashville-based label, the double release signals the arrival of a songwriter whose range, depth, and emotional intelligence are extraordinary from the very first note.
Alicia Kayley is a Pop/R&B singer-songwriter from the Algonquin and Tahltan Nation, raised and currently residing in Ottawa, Ontario. She holds a Bachelor of Music from Carleton University, where she specialised in classical voice and popular style songwriting – a foundation that gives her artistry both technical precision and genuine emotional immediacy. Her powerful, warm vocals have graced some of Canada’s most prestigious stages, including the Harbourfront Luminato Festival, Canada Day’s 150th Anniversary main stage event on Parliament Hill, and the Site Selection Ceremony for the Residential Schools National Monument. In 2024, she brought that same commanding presence to the Indigenous Day Festival in Whitehorse, Yukon, and Vancouver Indigenous Fashion Week.
“New Beginnings” is a deeply personal conversation with herself – a reckoning, and ultimately a resolution. Kayley conceived the song while standing at a crossroads, weighing the value of a relationship against her own sense of worth and the wisdom of those closest to her. Rather than framing the experience as something to undo or leave behind, she recast it as the foundation for something entirely new.
“I hated the idea of starting over,” she has shared. “So I chose new beginnings instead – not erasing the past but carrying forward everything it taught me.”
That distinction – subtle but transformative – gives the song its emotional weight and its universal resonance.
Where “New Beginnings” arrives at peace, “Don’t Break My Heart” captures the tender, hopeful tension of a heart still open and still willing to trust. Together, the two singles showcase the full emotional spectrum Kayley brings to her songwriting – the courage it takes to love, and the strength it takes to know one’s own worth. Releasing both tracks simultaneously is a deliberate artistic statement: this is an artist who holds complexity with ease, and who understands that the most honest storytelling lives in the full arc of an experience, not just its conclusion.
Both tracks bear the hallmarks of Kayley’s classical training and her instinct for popular songcraft. Her voice – rich, warm, and precisely controlled – moves through each song with a naturalness that only comes from years of dedicated study and an innate emotional intelligence that no conservatory can teach. The productions, shaped within the New Sun Music family in Nashville, provide a sonic home that is at once intimate and expansive, giving Kayley’s storytelling the space it deserves to breathe and resonate.
As a young Indigenous artist, Kayley brings a perspective to mainstream Pop/R&B that is both timely and essential. Her partnership with New Sun Music – founded by Grammy-nominated country and blues artist Crystal Shawanda, herself a proud Odawa First Nation member – reflects a shared commitment to amplifying Indigenous voices across the broader musical landscape. Kayley has spoken openly about her intention to provide Anishinabe people with a visible, joyful presence in mainstream music, and today’s double release stands as the opening statement of that mission. The songs’ themes of self-worth, hope, and forward motion carry cultural dimensions that extend far beyond any single personal story.
The double single release arrives alongside a robust season of live performances that underscore Kayley’s growing momentum, including an appearance at Hard Rock Ottawa’s Council Oak Stage on May 23rd and a landmark slot at Ottawa Bluesfest on July 10th – one of Canada’s most celebrated summer music festivals. Both singles are the first taste of her debut album, set for release this summer via New Sun Music. With each new chapter, Kayley is building a body of work as musically ambitious as it is culturally meaningful – and the journey is already extraordinary.
Hi, Alicia! Good to meet you! Care to introduce yourself to the readers for those not familiar with your music?
I’m Alicia Kayley, an Algonquin, Tahltan and Northern Tutchone First Nation Pop/R&B singer-songwriter from Ottawa, Ontario. I recently debuted my first two singles, “New Beginnings” and “Don’t Break My Heart,” through New Sun Music alongside Crystal Shawanda. These songs mark the beginning of my journey as a recording artist, and they reflect how I plan to take up space within the mainstream music scene in the coming years. More than anything, I’m proud to share my music with the world and to be part of a growing wave of Indigenous artists bringing our stories, voices, and perspectives into the mainstream in a powerful way.
I personally love being called the ‘Indigenous Adele.’ There have definitely been mixed emotions on social media about the label, with some people saying the media shouldn’t compare artists to one another. But honestly, I find the comparison incredibly flattering.
I see Adele as someone who is emotionally engaging, a strong representation of realistic body image, and an absolute powerhouse when it comes to songwriting and vocal ability. If people see some of those qualities in me through an Indigenous lens, I’m honoured by that.
At the same time, I’m still 100% Alicia Kayley. I have my own story, my own experiences, and my own voice guiding my journey as an artist. So while the comparison is flattering, I’m also excited to continue sharing my own identity and sound.
You’ve said you want Indigenous youth, especially Anishinabe people, to see themselves represented in mainstream music. Did you have artists growing up who gave you that same feeling of visibility?
I would have to say my dad. His name is Kevin Chief, also known as Flying Down Thunder. He’s an Algonquin First Nation Juno nominee who still performs to this day. I was fortunate to grow up as a bit of a tour baby, watching firsthand what a life in music could look like for an Indigenous person.
Being exposed to that world at such a young age showed me that Indigenous people absolutely belong in mainstream spaces worldwide. At the same time, it also made me realize how few Indigenous artists were being represented in mainstream music. Seeing that firsthand showed me how important visibility and representation really are, especially for Anishinaabe youth.
I want young people to see someone who looks like them pursuing their dreams unapologetically and taking up space in the music industry. I did grow up seeing Indigenous artists take up space, but I’d love to see even more of us represented and celebrated on those larger platforms.
Crystal Shawanda and New Sun Music are helping launch your debut. What’s the most valuable advice Crystal has given you so far that people might not expect?
One of the most important lessons Crystal has taught me is to not let the haters win. I’ve dealt with bullying my whole life, and as I’ve stepped more into the spotlight, that negativity has definitely escalated. Even the strongest people can be affected by constant criticism eventually.
She’s reminded me that hurt people hurt people, and that not everything people say deserves to be internalized. Sometimes all you can do is let people talk while you keep moving forward and chasing your dreams anyway.
Honestly, the best metaphor for that came from watching her perform one night. She walked on stage, broke her heel, came backstage, changed into a new pair, and went right back out there without missing a beat. I feel like that moment perfectly represents her mindset. Don’t let the world knock you down. If something breaks, adjust, change your heels, and get back up there. That lesson has stayed with me both in music and in life.
If someone listens to your music for the very first time while going through heartbreak, self-doubt, or a major life change, what do you hope they walk away feeling?
I hope they walk away feeling the same way I did while writing those songs seen, heared, and empowered. Music has always been a healing space for me, and I hope my songs can be that for someone else too.
When I sing songs like my debut single, New Beginnings, it reminds me that no matter what we go through heartbreak, self-doubt, loss, or major life changes we can take those experiences and turn them into growth.
For me, a new beginning doesn’t mean starting over completely. It means starting from where you are, carrying the lessons you’ve learned, and giving yourself permission to move forward. I hope listeners leave feeling a little less alone and a little more hopeful about what’s next. You can always change perspectives and rewrite your story.