Niska Napoleon

From pulling a moose bone fresh off the fire on her small reserve in northeast B.C. to the West Coast, Niska​ Napoleon has called many places home​. Daughter of a renowned Cree knowledge keeper and a musician prepared her for a life on the road. That road became her therapy, her freedom, and her endless supply of inspiration. When she is not gallivanting through the lands or holed up in a cabin in the woods, you can find her on the Caribbean coast, where she is developing her latest album.



Her​ latest single “Timebomb” reached #1 (Aug.28th, 2021) on The Indigenous Music Countdown making it the second single off her long awaited debut album (THE WHITEFLOWER EP) to reach the top spot. The song’s accompanying music video received 2nd place in APTN and The Indigenous Music Awards “Star Catcher Music Video Competition” (June.21,2021).



In her role as a solo artist, Napoleon has already established a career in the music business, commanding stages since before she was tall enough to reach the mic stand. With music featured on​ APTN television shows such as “The New Canoe", "The Mix,” “Mohawk Girls,” “My TV,” and “Moosemeat & Marmalade”, she continues to make a name for herself. In 2014, she made the list of CBC's "9 Canadian Musicians You Need To Know", earned herself her first theme music composer credit for "Moosemeat & Marmalade", and made notable performances at APTN’s Aboriginal Day Live (2017) and Honda’s Celebration Of Light (2018).



As a front woman for Victoria based reggae-ska band Rocky Mountain Rebel Music, ​Napoleon garnered fans across the nation, causing sweat to drip from the ceiling in every bar from Victoria to Quebec City. With her electrifying stage presence, she helped RMRM earn titles such as “91.3’s Zone Band of the Month,”​ ​(March 2011)​ ​in Victoria​.​ “Monday Magazine’s 2010 pick for Favorite Band”​ ​and a nomination for "Female Vocalist of the Year"​ ​from The Vancouver Island Music Awards​ (2011).



Developing her art form authentically in numerous bands provided Napoleon the opportunity to open for acts such as ​Buffy St.Marie, Kai Mani Marley​, ​Ani Difranco​ and The Aggrolites​. With the ability to transform on stage like an ancient shapeshifter, she consistently delivers a performance that can alter the energy in a room and continues to build her well-earned reputation as a genre-hopper.



Carrying teachings from her ancestors and with a bloodline consisting of healers, chiefs and Indigenous leaders, she is committed to making her debut album something worth holding out for. While breeding music from the soul of Mother Earth, and armed with a given name meant for the spotlight, expect to see Niska take up space amongst the stars.