Twin Flames
Twin Flames is a husband/wife contemporary folk duo from Canada. Combining Indigenous spirit flutes, traditional drums, and Western instruments, Twin Flames creates beautiful music that spans genres and has earned them countless awards.
Twin Flames is made up of Jaaji (pronounced Yaa-yee) and Chelsey June. Jaaji is Inuk from Nunavik and Mohawk from Kahnawake. He was simultaneously raised in the traditional ways of the Inuit and also traditionally Iroquoian-speaking Mohawk, and his passion for language revitalization and preservation is evident in his music and can especially be heard when he is singing in Inuktitut. Chelsey June is a Settler from Ottawa who celebrates her Anishinaabe (Algonquin), Métis, and Cree Indigenous heritage. Together, the pair pours love into each and every song and aims to leave a positive impact through their work.
The duo met on set, filming for the APTN’s Talent Autochtones Musical. They created their band Twin Flames in 2015 and in 8 years they have accumulated 44 music awards and nominations including 4 Canadian Folk Music Awards, 3 Native American Music Awards, 3 Summer Solstice Indigenous Music Awards, and the 2022 Capital Music Award (Group of the year.)
Their music is a fusion of sounds, languages, and cultures. The couple seamlessly blends English, French, and Inuktitut to bring their music to life. This blend of languages in their music is representative of each of their lives and their love, and it makes their music especially unique. Their music also crosses genres, tying soulful folk and unapologetic rock together to make brilliant rhythms. My favorite song by them is their cover of The Tragically Hip’s “Grace Too,” which they sang as a tribute to the life and legacy of Gord Downie. Twin Flames put their own spin on the song by including verses in Inuktitut and Jaaji performed a version of throat singing he calls “throat boxing” at the song’s close as a tribute to Inuit women who traditionally perform throat singing. Chelsey June took the lead vocals, the band’s way of further paying homage to women everywhere and sending a message that women’s voices deserve to be lifted up and listened to. Another crucial message the duo hoped to deliver with this song was continued education about Canada’s dark history of residential schools, which tore young First Nations children from their culture and forced them into educational slums. Gord Downie had formed a project called Secret Path following his band’s last tour to continue this education, and Twin Flames further honored his legacy with their rendition of “Grace Too.”
Jaaji and Chelsey June’s voices are the perfect complements to each other in this lively rendition of “Grace Too.” With a strong drumbeat in the background and the beautiful tune of the spirit flute, the song invites listeners to dance. It closes with captivating “throat boxing” vocals from Jaaji which stick in the audience’s brain in a haunting rhythm. “Grace Too” is included on Twin Flames’ album Omen and can be listened to at this link: https://open.spotify.com/track/7fySPnE1inumg81vJnaMPG?si=aeccec327d384d62
Their album Omen also explores themes of mental health, climate change, addiction, and the beauty and challenges of being human. Included below are videos of some of their more popular works.
Twin Flames, www.twinflamesmusic.com/home. Accessed 28 Jan. 2024.
Healy, Amber. “Twin Flames Honour Gord Downie with Inspired Grace Too Cover: Alan Cross.” Alan Cross’ A Journal of Musical Things, 23 July 2020, www.ajournalofmusicalthings.com/twin-flames-honour-gord-downie-with-inspired-grace-too-cover/.
It’s really interesting that your band also writes songs in English, French, and Inuktitut! The band I researched, Quantum Tangle, does exactly the same in one of their songs “Signal.” It’s really interesting how the intersection of those three languages is so representative of Jaaji’s upbringing. They kept the Canadian representation through the English and French but incorporated his native Inuktitut tongue. I’m really interested in the relationship to colonialism through this use of language; while Inuktitut is the native language of his home, English and French were introduced by colonizing forces. Does Jaaji make any references to colonialism in any of their songs? Or do they expand on their use of language?
Just like Reah, I find it so interesting that so many indigenous bands, including the one that I researched, try to amalgamate their native languages with the languages of white settlers. I guess this is in order to spread the message more widely and allow for increased consumption, but fascinating nonetheless. I also love the relationship behind the music; such a cute and cool story! It’s also super cool, and similar to the band I studied, the way they incorporate contemporary social issues into their music to spread awareness, especially climate change, which is impacting Native people at much higher rates on average. Their tackling of the native “re-education” schools is also so important because it has not been discussed by the major media as much as it should be and is such a disturbing piece of settler history, including our own history here at Dartmouth.