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Elisapie: Inuk artist and advocate for change

The history of colonialism has left deep scars on Inuit communities, scars that Elisapie continually addresses in her music

May 28, 2025

Twenty-five years ago, at the onset of her 20s, Elisapie Isaac arrived in Montreal from Salluit, an Inuit community in northern Quebec. Eager to explore a new world, she quickly became a successful singer.

However, after a few years, she was exhausted. Exhausted of always being told what to do, where to go and mostly, of the constant demands and questioning about her Inuk identity.

“I was just a normal girl who wanted to make music,” Elisapie tells L’Itinéraire, a street paper based in Montreal. “Being forced to take on this role of spokesperson was so heavy. Especially since I felt it wasn’t my place to answer these questions. We grew up with a hierarchy. At home, it’s the elders who speak, they’re the wise ones.”

Elisapie has always sought to express herself as an individual, not just as an Inuk. She laments that Indigenous artists are often pigeonholed into discussing identity issues rather than focusing on their art. 

Despite two decades in the industry, she still resists being labelled as an ambassador for Indigenous Peoples, though she acknowledges a gradual change in attitudes.

A turning point

Despite her reluctance to be politically active, the tragic death of Joyce Echaquan in 2020 compelled Elisapie to speak out. Echaquan, an Atikamekw woman, died after being mistreated by Joliette hospital staff, sparking demonstrations against discrimination. This event marked the first time Elisapie became emotionally involved in public activism.

“If it weren’t for my music, I wouldn’t be actively involved in identity debates,” Elisapie admits. “But through art, it comes out in spite of myself.”

Art as a vessel for heritage

Elisapie believes that every Indigenous artist carries a story and a need to express the unspoken pain of their parents.

“We want to explode. We need to get out our hatred, our pain, all those things that have been repressed. There’s so much that’s happened and now we’re stuck with all the chaos. We have no choice but to use it. Even if we didn’t want to, we’re stuck with this heritage. We need to turn it into something beautiful, to heal. That’s how I use this heritage,” she says.

The history of colonialism has left deep scars on Inuit communities, scars that Elisapie continually addresses in her music.

Her album, The Ballad of the Runaway Girl (2018), was a step towards healing, but her latest album, Inuktitut (2023), delves even deeper into these traumas.

Nostalgia and resilience

Elisapie’s new album features covers of songs from her youth, each imbued with personal and collective memories. 

“I realized that I had a duty to myself to remember,” she explains. “If I want to enjoy delivering these songs, I have to see them through to the end. Otherwise, I won’t achieve real emotion and enjoyment.”

Her nostalgia, while initially appearing rosy, is tinged with the realization of the suffering that underpinned her youth. The suicide rate among young Inuit is significantly higher than in the rest of Canada, a tragic testament to the ongoing impact of historical injustices.

“When I was young, the people around me were mute. They didn’t know they had the right to express their pain. They just accepted it, thinking it would pass. But this time, it was a force that took away the power of the Inuit, their ways of managing their lives. Our parents didn’t realize the immense injustice until they were completely overwhelmed and traumatized,” she recounts.

Finding joy in resilience

Despite the hardships, Elisapie celebrates the resilience and joy of the Inuit people.

“The beauty of the Inuit is to be able to be present in the moment. That’s what saved us,” she says. 

She observes this resilience at every one of her shows, where the Inuit spirit of sharing, laughter, and connection shines through.

Elisapie also notes a burgeoning movement among young Inuit who are acknowledging their suffering and striving for healing.

“We realize that we need to heal. There’s a movement coming that’s going to happen quickly,” she says.

For a better future, Elisapie advocates for equitable resources for Inuit communities. 

“The government has to learn that the North is also Quebec and give us the resources that Quebecers take for granted. We’re in Quebec, we pay taxes, we should have more resources. We don’t ask, because we’ve been led to believe that we’re worth less because of our isolation. But we don’t! At some point, enough is enough,” she concludes.

Elisapie’s journey from a young girl in Salluit to a prominent artist and advocate encapsulates the enduring spirit and evolving identity of the Inuit people. Through her music and her voice, she continues to push for recognition, healing and change. 

Elisapie will present her show UVATTINI at the Chan Centre For The Performing Arts in Vancouver on Sept. 28.

For more information about the artist and other touring dates, visit: elisapie.com

First published in the June 15 issue of L’Itinéraire, Montreal’s street magazine. Adapted from French by Josée Panet-Raymond, with the assistance of DeepL.