WINNIPEG -- Kelly Fraser, an Inuk pop singer-songwriter, has died at the age of 26.
Fraser was born in Sanikiluaq, NT, but was living in Winnipeg on and off for a few years. Her Facebook page has been turned into a memorialized account.
She first made waves with a cover of a Rihanna song sung in Inuktitut posted online in 2013 that has been viewed more than 380,000 times.
Fraser released her first album “Isuma” in 2014. Her second album “Sedna,” which came out in February 2017, was nominated for a Juno for Indigenous Music Album of the Year.The album featured both English and Inuktitut lyrics and portrayed the history of the Inuit and rise of the Nunavummiut through the story of Sedna, the goddess of the sea.
On Fraser’s website, she said the goal of the album was to “help heal those suffering from the effects of colonization.”
Fraser’s first single from “Sedna” called ‘Fight for the Rights’ was aimed at swinging the land claims vote in May 2017.
Fraser’s long-time friend and music producer Thor Simonsen described her music as a blend of “pop and traditional, English and Inuktitut.”
A GoFundMe has been created on behalf of Fraser’s sisters, to help raise money for the costs associated with the death of a loved one. So far, nearly $30,000 has been fundraised.
Fraser’s family is asking that people not ask them about what happened, but messages of support and love are welcome.
