Amanda Rheaume: From Universal Soldier to AK-47, songs that inspire her

Amanda Rheaume has been on Unreserved before, speaking about her heritage and the discovery of her roots. But we wanted to get to know Amanda a little more and help you get to know her too.

She toured Europe in 2016 and shared stories of her Métis heritage with audiences there.

For this episode of Unreserved, Rheaume shared stories of songs and songwriters who inspire her.

Leela Gilday

"Leela has been a dear friend of mine for many years. We've travelled many kilometers and played a lot of shows together. Needless to say I am more than familiar with her catalogue, but one year she was booked to perform at an event that I co-run called Babes4Breasts. The show was a singer-songwriter in the round type event and Leela sang

Calling All Warriors. The show was in a huge church with over 400 people and she asked everyone to sing the line "Calling All Warriors" along with her and the entire church erupted in voice. Leela stopped playing the guitar and raised her fist in the air and hundreds of us sang in unison. It reminded me that music can move mountains, music can move the human spirit to make change, and that we are stronger together."

Tanya Tagaq

"Tanya Tagaq is an artist that has inspired the imagination of the country. She won the Polaris Prize two years ago. And she has brought Inuit throat singing to the mainstream.   As soon as I put on Tanya's newest album, I was in love. I picked Retribution because of the message and because of how bold and honest it is. I feel an undercurrent of movement within our Indigenous people, it's been coming for some time and this song speaks to me. It also makes me think of the Louis Riel quote 'My people will sleep for one hundred years, but when they awake, it will be the artists who give them their spirit back.' Tanya is leading the pack, man."

Buffy Sainte-Marie

"I remember hearing Universal Soldier for many years, but the most poignant time was when I heard Buffy sing it live at Summerfolk in Owen Sound a few years back. She released the song in 1964, a direct response to the Vietnam War, I imagine. I remember reading that this song, for Buffy, was about individual responsibility for war. When I heard her sing this song live it was much more affecting due to my work traveling to sing for the Canadian Forces in Afghanistan between 2009 and 2011."

Digging Roots

"I first saw the video for AK-47 and it hit me like a ton of bricks. Another example of using social media, modern media, modern images mixed with traditional images and messages. Apparently I have become obsessed with music that has a message for positive change."