Asani

ASANI is an Indigenous women’s trio from Edmonton who draw from their cultural heritage to create music that is accessible to a wide audience, but delivers a powerful message from their hearts. They are Debbie Houle, Sherryl Sewepagaham and Sarah Pocklington.

They have performed across Canada and internationally at such venues as Carnegie Hall in New York, The Kennedy Centre in Washington D.C. and the Saddledome in Calgary. They have performed for the Dalai Lama, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and at the 2010 Olympics in Whistler, BC.

Their debut CD ‘Rattle and Drum’ was nominated for 11 music awards including a 2006 Juno nomination for Aboriginal Recording of the Year and received the Canadian Aboriginal Music Award (CAMA) for Best Female Traditional/ Cultural /Roots Album, 2005. In October 2009, they released their sophomore CD “Listen” receiving a 2010 Canadian Folk Music Award for Aboriginal Songwriter of the Year and a 2010 Indian Summer Music Award for Best Spiritual Song.

In March 2014, Asani was thrilled to perform both the American and Canadian anthems at the Edmonton Oiler’s home game with the New York Rangers.

In 2014, Asani has joined forces with Ground Zero Productions and the talented Maria Dunn to compose and perform “On The River”, a 60-minute live video ballad telling the story of the Cree, Dene and Metis peoples’ community of Fort McKay, through the lens of the life of former chief Dorothy McDonald.

Asani officially retired in 2019; however, have agreed to a special presentation by the Jeanne & Peter Lougheed Performing Arts Centre.