From Survival to Songwriting, Raven Reid Finds Strength in Stages Of Gold
Raven Reid has spent her life overcoming obstacles, and with her new album, Stages Of Gold, the Indigenous singer-songwriter has achieved a dream that once seemed out of reach: recording her music with a full band.
A survivor of Canada’s Sixties Scoop, which saw Indigenous children removed from their families and placed into the child welfare system, Reid turned to songwriting at an early age as a way to process her experiences. After facing further challenges involving addiction and domestic abuse, she emerged as a powerful voice in Indigenous music with her stripped-down and deeply personal 2024 debut, Waiting For Change.
Now, Raven Reid’s Stages Of Gold takes her music to new heights. The 10-song album offers an unflinching look at her life as an Indigenous woman and the experiences of those in her community, supported by a talented group of musicians, including guitarist Kevin Laliberté (Sultans Of String) and drummer Dani Nash (July Talk, Andy Shauf).
Raven Reid Stages Of Gold – Recording With a Full Band
Recorded primarily at Toronto’s Gold Standard Studios with producer Marc Merilainen (Nadjiwan), Stages Of Gold captures Reid’s first experience recording with the musicians who helped bring her songs to life.
“When I arrived in Toronto from Saskatoon, I had no idea what to expect, except to record my songs,” she says. “I was full of excitement, but I was also a little apprehensive because my songs are so brutally honest and vulnerable. I had thought all artists have recorded live off the floor at some point, so I had better be able to do it as well. At least, I was hoping I was talented enough to do it. I didn’t realize how rare that actually is in this day and age.”
The album’s first two singles showcase Reid’s musical range. “Love A Loser” embraces a honky-tonk sound, while “Too Late” delivers a folk-rock edge reminiscent of Lucinda Williams.
Other tracks, including “Highway Of Tears” and “Grifter’s Howl,” confront issues affecting Indigenous communities, including the response to the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls and the growing conversation surrounding individuals who falsely claim Indigenous identity.
Raven Reid Stages Of Gold – The Personal Stories Behind the Album
The album’s Johnny Cash-inspired title track, “Stages Of Gold,” reflects Reid’s determination to escape poverty and build a better life for herself and her children.
She explains, “My kids and I ended up in a shelter for battered women with only a garbage bag of clothing and my guitar. I had to rebuild our lives from there and I worked hard to get us out of the ‘hood in Saskatoon, but not before we experienced the oppression around us. One night I was in my bedroom listening to a woman crying for her children, when gunshots rang out in the dark. The next day my 18-year-old son discovered a body three feet from our door. That song is me, dreaming of getting us away from that.”
Beyond her music, Reid has become an in-demand speaker, using her experiences to inspire other Indigenous women and encourage conversations about resilience, identity, and overcoming adversity.
“It takes bravery to walk the music industry road as an Indigenous woman,” Raven says. “I see their hard work and dedication and want to emulate that strength.”
With Stages Of Gold, Raven Reid continues to turn personal experiences into powerful storytelling, creating music that reflects both her own journey and the strength of the communities around her.
Raven Reid Stages Of Gold – Five Questions With the Artist
First off care to introduce yourself to our readers?
Hello, my name is Raven Reid. I am an indigenous singer/songwriter with family ties to Mikisew Cree First Nations. I now reside in Northern Saskatchewan.
Tell us a bit about your recent release.
Stages of Gold is my second album. It was recorded live off the floor, in Toronto at Gold Standard Recorders. There are incredible artists that are on it, from across Canada.
I am grateful and proud of this album and the work that went into the final version. It wasn’t possible without the hard work of Marc and Laura Merilainen from Merilainen Music Inc and everyone who worked on this amazing album with me.
Walk us through your creative progress when creating music.
I write every day, usually starting with a morning coffee blog on Facebook, but in the evenings I write in a journal. I’ve been writing since I was very young so a lot of my songs come from journals.
Writing about my life, my experiences and my journey overcoming cultural genocide, domestic violence, addictions, and poverty, my hopes and dreams.
Now that the music is out, what does the ‘road ahead’ look like? Beyond tours and videos, what’s one ‘bucket list’ goal you hope to achieve with this release?
I hope I get my passport and start crossing the open waters soon!! That would be amazing! I’d love to be a part of festivals and residencies around the world. I’d also like to start publishing my writings and do a lot more public speaking.
Every artist has a ‘lightbulb moment’ where things just clicked. Looking back, what’s the one performance or milestone that made you realize, ‘Okay, this is what I was meant to do’?
I have two of those, my most recent one happened when I was on stage at Massey Hall in Toronto. I had written a poem called 215 and it felt like a pivotal and healing moment. Finally my story, which is not unlike the story of many others across Canada, is being heard. I finally have a real voice. I felt a shift. I knew I was meant to be there on a stage, telling the truth about it all.
We love championing Canadian talent. If you were curated a ‘Must-Listen’ playlist of emerging artists right now, who is the first person you’d add?
Oh wow, there are so many great emerging artists that I know. Ashley Ghostkeeper, Mary Liv, Graeme Jonez, Liv Wade, Hasaatuk, Shelby Beeatz…so many I could name.
There’s nothing like the energy of a live room. Where can fans catch you on stage next, and for someone seeing you for the first time, what should they expect from a Raven Reid live experience?
I will be in Banff, at a (residency) and I’m sure I’ll get to play around there somewhere. I’m also playing in Saskatoon. If you come to a Raven Reid show be prepared to laugh, to think, to want to buy merch! 😂
