« I started writing music because I wanted to feel seen. »
Métis and Colombian folk singer Damase Elis opens up about how queerness and cultural identity shape her music, and shares her song, “The Gas Station Affair.”
In 2025, Elis joined a group of Indigenous artists from across Canada at Studio Bell, home of the National Music Centre, for a five-day intensive artist development program. The experience provided career guidance, mentorship from leading music industry professionals, and meaningful opportunities for collaboration and creative exchange among the artists.
Damase Elis Explores Identity and Belonging in Songwriting
Damase Elis Performs “The Gas Station Affair”
Sponsored by TD, the OHSOTO’KINO Music Incubator is supporting the next wave of Indigenous talent and amplifying Indigenous stories through music. Learn more: studiobell.ca/ohsotokino
