TORONTO—Musician Graeme Jonez, a Sheguiandah First Nation band member who has strong family ties to Manitoulin Island, had three very exciting news items to share in a recent email to The Expositor.

“I have an album being released on September 12 (Crossways) and am currently number three on the Indigenous Music Countdown for one of my songs,” Mr. Jonez told The Expositor in an email September 4.

“And I also have music (two songs) in an Indigenous film that is premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) on September 7,” said Mr. Jonez. 

“I have some super exciting news to share. I’m having two of my songs (‘It’s A Cold, Cold Place,’ and ‘100 Days Deep’), on a film ‘Nika and Madison,’ by Indigenous director Eva Thomas at TIFF. “I have wanted my music to be in a film for a long time.”

The Expositor could not reach a very busy Mr. Jonez for a follow-up, as he travelled from TIFF to a month-long songwriting retreat in Mexico City.

The album release was the second for Mr. Jonez. As has been previously reported, his single ‘The Flood’ attained number one status in the Indigenous Music Countdown and was the Merilainen Music Award winner as Single of the Year in 2023.

Mr. Jonez has lived in Toronto for the past 21 years and lives with his partner in a condominium in the city. He has lots of family and friends on the Island and the vicinity.