IIt’s a long way from the dirt roads of Saddle Lake Cree Nation in central Alberta to the bright lights of Los Angeles, California, but Tia Wood followed her heart from the Rez to the City of Angels to make her musical dreams come true.

Her powerful, soulful voice carries the spirit of her peoples’ songs that have echoed from her homelands since time immemorial, and the musical roots of her family tree run deep. Growing up in a home rich with music and culture, she began singing as soon as she could talk, inspired and nurtured by her parents, siblings, and her dual Plains Cree and Coast Salish heritage. So Tia believes it was inevitable that she’s now blazing her own trail as a solo artist, with her debut recordings being released by Sony Music this spring.

“When I was younger, this kind of stuff is something I dreamed about, but just never would say out loud because I never thought it was reachable,” says the 24 year old. “But it’s just so cool. I’m just so grateful.”

Tia also calls it “surreal” to go from the western edges of the Canadian Prairies to the west coast metropolis of Los Angeles. Saddle Lake Cree Nation is a community of about 6000 people in Treaty 6 territory, about a two-hour drive east of the Alberta capital of Edmonton. Her home community is where Tia’s musical journey began; her first experiences on stage were performing with her family, singing traditional music at powwows, schools, community events, and various showcases.

Back then, her father, Earl Wood, co-founded and was a member of the legendary JUNO-winning and Grammy-nominated powwow drum group Northern Cree, and her mother, Cynthia Jim, was in an all-women drum group. The talent in her family is generational: her sister, Fawn Wood, is also a JUNO Award-winning singer.

Even though she calls her younger self “the shyest kid” among her other siblings, Tia says those early performances and musical teachings from her family were hugely formative, and led her on to the path she continues to follow today, proudly celebrating and sharing the songs and dances of her people.

“I just liked being able to sing in front of people with my family especially,” she says. “It was really nice to bond in that way.”

 But becoming a solo artist one day was always in the back of her mind. As a teen, she gravitated to all kinds of singers, from musical legends like Etta James and Hank Williams to more contemporary stars like Amy Winehouse, Leon Bridges, Jesse Reyez, and SZA. In her 20s, Tia developed a massive social following as a creator, and many of her videos introducing Indigenous sounds to a mainstream audience have gone viral and brought her widespread acclaim.

Those influences and experiences, along with the music of her Indigenous nations, have provided the foundation for her debut, which is rich in style, genre, and spirit. Threading everything together is Tia’s smooth and stunning vocals, creating a vibrant tapestry of modern music that she feels is strengthened and enriched by her Indigenous background and luxe R&B production.

“I feel like I dip into a lot of different things,” she says, “but as of right now, it’s more like R&B, and since I grew up right along with traditional music, I kind of try to add that in when it calls to do so.”

Releasing her debut has been years in the making, prompted by what she calls a “big leap” in 2020: moving on her own to Los Angeles. She originally planned a two-week visit to meet with producers and test the solo waters, but that first trip was extended, and included an extra jaunt to Nashville to get to know the music community there as well.

A few days before she was to return to Canada, she felt the pull of creativity and wanted to ride the musical momentum that was building, so she decided to stay in Los Angeles. She called her parents and let them know she wasn’t coming home.

“I thought, man, I ain’t got nothing back at home tying me down,” she says with a laugh. “And I was just like, I should just try to stick it out and see what happens.”

Tia says she only had enough money for rent and a case of noodles, but she was rich with ideas and motivation to make her musical mark. The move to L.A. inspired the major themes and ideas she explores in her debut, but it wasn’t an entirely smooth transition. She admits it was “kind of hard to step into that world,” but like any artist, she harnessed the feelings and experience into song.

In her lead single “Dirt Roads” she sings about the thrill of “sunny days and happy faces in the land where dreams are made,” but also of feeling out of place so far from home. “Should I take out my braids or leave them in? They look at me like I’m a martian,” Wood sings stirringly, invoking imagery and emotions relatable for anyone who’s left home for a new beginning in the city, especially Indigenous youth.

But it’s the song’s refrain that echos a comforting familiarity: “Dirt roads lead me back home.” The song is at once a love letter to Saddle Lake and her people, and a heartfelt reminder for so many others who feel the pull of family and home while following dreams in the big city. It’s a common sentiment in many of her debut tracks.

“It’s kind of just like about leaving home and kind of stepping out into a new world,” says Tia. “Because when I used to live on the rez, I feel like the reason why I left is because I wanted to go see the world and figure out who I was. So that’s kind of the theme of it all. It’s just kind of being a young adult and going through young adult things.” Tia now calls many places home and divides her time between Alberta, LA, and stops in between as she follows her artistic calling and communities of creativity.

Her debut songs are as eclectic and rich as the young adult experience. The instrumentation under her sonically rich vocals ranges from classic sounds like piano and guitar to the modern beats and hooks that flourish in modern R&B.

“Losing Game” navigates through heartbreak and builds to a driving beat. “Bittersweet Harmony” hearkens back to her country roots and influences, while injecting a contemporary rhythm and chorus that results in an unforgettable genre-blending track. Meanwhile, “Sugar and Cream” features Tia’s dynamic vocal range on full display.

Tia says exploring self and identity through songwriting and honing her musical skills has been therapeutic. “It’s really allowed me to open up and really dig into feelings,” she says, and she hopes her journey and her music can inspire people everywhere, especially young fans in Indigenous communities.

“Just to show somebody that they can do it no matter where they come from, and what circumstances they were given and what cards they were dealt out. It’s doable.”

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