Susan Aglukark has earned countless accolades 鈥� Governor General's Award winner, Officer of the Order of Canada, four-time Juno winner, founder of the Arctic Rose Foundation. But at the heart of it all, she is a singer-songwriter.
On April 2, she celebrates the 30th anniversary of her major label debut This Child with a performance co-presented by Gee Dan Productions and the Sid Williams Theatre Society as part of their Centre Stage Series. More than a milestone, the tour revisits a defining moment in her career.
"When I think back on that time, I realize and appreciate all of the events that had to conspire for that to happen at that time, because in a way, I was so new to the industry and to life in the South...it was all new to me," says Aglukark, who grew up in Arviat, Nunavut. 鈥淚 had [visited] Winnipeg and Ottawa for other things, but to live there and to build a young life there and then find yourself in a studio and then very quickly a record deal and then very quickly a hit song, you know, things happened so fast...I'm just so grateful."
As a young artist discovering herself, the album was deeply personal and based on her lived experiences..
"There was no other way for me to be in that space at that time except absolutely and brutally, vulnerably honest because I didn't know myself yet as a writer. So all I could say to myself at the time was just write what you know. Where are you at? What do you know?"
That raw honesty struck a chord.This Child sold more than 300,000 copies in Canada, and its lead single, "O Siem," became the first top 10 hit by an Inuk performer. Three decades later it still resonates, even - or maybe especially - for Aglukark.
"I'm so proud of that 25-, 26-year-old girl who drew so much from my life in the North up to that point. And I'm so proud of my life in the North, even more so now, but in reflection it still rings true," she says. "Everything I was and was discovering at that time is still so true... [the] approach we engaged was the best possible approach for that girl at that time. So This Child is absolutely still very relevant to me 30 years later."
This tour embraces both nostalgia and evolution. The songs remain faithful to their original spirit of learning, sharing and healing, yet new interpretations emerge through collaborations with community choirs and drum groups at select shows, as well as special guest throat singer Angela Amarualikan artist Aglukark is thrilled to support.
Aglukark first met Amarualik in 2018 and immediately connected with her energy. She had hoped to collaborate with her someday, but when the pandemic hit, opportunities to perform were put on hold. While planning this tour, Aglukark saw the perfect chance to support her, and a mentorship grant from the Governor General's Performing Arts Awards sealed the decision.
"I really want to give her this opportunity because she had just started and then the pandemic hit, and there was only so much work she could do. I felt bad for her because she was just launching... Last year the GG Awards gave me the mentorship opportunity and knew right away who I wanted to mentor and here we are."
Beyond the music and the mentorship, the tour is also a testament to the fans who have supported Aglukark throughout her career.
When she was first writing This Child, she doubted her ability to have a career as an artist. Reflecting back, she realizes how much she relied on the fans to carry her through.
"The first few years of my career...I just was not yet convinced that I could do this, that I could be an artist, that I could be a singer, that this could be the career...there was this constant second guessing. And then to see all these incredible comments from people 30 years later and what they're sharing, I realized what's happened over the years is how much I have relied on those fans to carry me through these years in terms of getting settled into the artist life."
Aglukark admits it took a while but now she embraces her place in the industry with confidence, gratitude and a deep appreciation for the path that led her to where she is today.
That path includes writing and recording 10 albums, founding the Arctic Rose Foundation (an organization supporting Indigenous youth), authoring two children's books as well as having a personal memoir in the works.
Far from looking back, Aglukark continues to evolve. With a fall tour, an expanding Christmas show and new music, including collaborations with Inuk drummers and dancers from Iqaluit, she shows no signs of slowing down. "We've got a lot of things on the burner right now that we are working on."
Join Susan Aglukark at the Sid for a memorable night of music and storytelling as she celebrates This Child's 30th anniversary. Get your tickets online, by phone or at the box office. For more information about the show, visit .
