Young Juno Nominated Inuk Singer Kelly Fraser Died On Christmas Day

The Juno award-winning singer gained international recognition when she covered Rihanna’s “Diamonds”

On Christmas Day, Kelly Amaujaq Fraser (Aug 8, 1993 – Dec 25, 2019), a rising star of the Canadian music scene passed away. Ms. Fraser was an Indigenous – Inuk singer & songwriter. She received a Juno nomination in 2018 for her album ᓄᓕᐊᔪᒃ (Sedna) written with a mix of English and Inuktitut in the category of Indigenous Music Album of the Year. 

Her passing was confirmed on Facebook by members of her family. Fraser is from Sanikiluaq, Nunavut, but was educated at Nunavut Sivuniksavat in Ottawa before completing an education program at Nicola Valley Institute of Technology in British Columbia. 

As an Inuk artist, she was awarded an Indspire Award in 2019 for her use of modern pop music to strengthen Inuit culture & language and to promote the Inuit way of life. 

At the Indspire awards held in Calgary in 2019, they wrote ”She believes that contemporary music in Inuktitut will increase pride in Inuit identity. By sharing her own personal struggles, Kelly brings hope to Indigenous youth who are struggling like she has. When she’s not creating or performing her own music, Kelly teaches Inuktitut language lessons, does cultural and motivational speaking, teaches songwriting, and helps to organize Nunavut Hitmakerz, a project which aims to give underprivileged Nunavummiut youth opportunities to learn creative expression and technical skills.” 

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