Biography
2008 Best Pop Recording Artist
Nominated for multiple awards in 2008 for her latest Cd, PHOENIX
Currently accepting bookings and promoting a 2009 Unity, Empowerment & Music Tour combining culture, music, and 16 unique workshops!
Fara Palmer is a DIY(Do-it-yourself) Pop/R&B Artist & multi-award winning singer, songwriter, & guest-speaker. Born in Saskatchewan, but raised in British Columbia, this talented woman of
Cree/Saulteaux/& European descent got her first taste of 'stage life' when, at the age of 12, she sang at an outdoor concert alongside artists such as: Buffy Ste. Marie, Floyd ‘Red Crow’ Westerman, Morley Loon & Winstun Wuttinee. Since then she has emerged as a powerhouse vocalist, a heart and soul inspired songwriter, and multi-award winning chantuese
Her first two albums entitled "This Is My World" and "Prettybrown" were nominated for Canadian Juno Awards, as well as for Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards and went on to win in categories of "Best Song Of The Year" and "Female Artist Of The Year" at the Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards. One of her songs on the Prettybrown album, "I'll make it up to you", placed in the top ten for the worldwide John Lennon Songwriting contest in the category of R&B. A number of her songs have also been placed in movies, television series, theatre productions, and made for TV special movie presentations.
Fara has performed for audiences across North America and has shared the stage with artists such as: Buffy Ste. Marie, Shania Twain, Sarah McLoughlin, Jann Arden, Ray Charles, Chantal Krevuisit, Charlie Byrd, George Leach and many others. She has sung national anthems to open games for the NBA, WWF, NAIG and the National Soccer League. Fara has been a prominent entertainer on the National Aboriginal Achievement Awards and has performed on several different shows over the last 12 years. She says her favorite NAAA appearance was the 2007 show where she sang “To Bring Back Yesterday”, a song she wrote about her mothers’ experiences at residential school.
Ms. Palmer believes in supporting community and culturally oriented initiatives, and therefore has participated in and/or volunteered her time and talents to many different events. To name a few:
*Children Of The World recording project featuring singers Susan Aglukard, Shingoose, Willy Dunn & others. A video was made with the purpose of encouraging Native youths to be proud of their Aboriginal heritage and to stay in school.
*2007 & 2008 BC Elders Gathering. Fara was honoured to volunteer her time to entertain her First Nations elders. 2007 BCEG was held in Vancouver, BC and the 2008 BCEG in Prince Rupert, BC. Fara states that she feels priveledged to be in the presence of so many teachers and keepers of Aboriginal cultural knowledge. She loves to spend time with her elders, sharing and learning and understands that while she may be volunteering her time to perform for the elders, she is also receiving the benefits of the elders’ wisdom, teachings, knowledge, and guidance in return. Ms. Palmer intends to continue to perform for her elders and wants to make the BC Elders Gathering an annual tradition.
*Sing, Move, & Read featuring Fara Palmer. This children’s music cd is intended to teach Aboriginal students between the ages of 3-7 basic reading skills. The cd combines Aboriginal musical influences(ie: drumgroup, flute, native chanting/singing) with contemporary sound-styles. Music, rhyming patterns, and movement are combined to create an easy format for children to learn the basics of reading. The cd has been piloted in elementary schools and is accompanied by a teachers manual. Besides being the lead vocalist on the project, Fara also contributed her songwriting skills and was one of the three main songwriters. For further info, visit: www.singmoveandread.com
In 2000/01 she appeared on the Juno Awards as a presentor for "Best Country Female Vocalist"- an honour that went to Shania Twain, co-hosted the Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards with Derek Miller, shot her 3rd music video for the 'Prettybrown' cd, appeared on numerous nationally televised music and entertainment specials, presented workshops, promoted and toured her second album "Prettybrown", and learned she was pregnant with her first child. Upon discovering she was about to become a mother, Fara took some time off of her career to raise a family.
In the summer of 2007 Fara Palmer resurfaced with a new album entitled "Phoenix". While recording her new cd, Fara chose to do something a little different from her previous two albums. A free spirit by nature, she came to the conclusion that she would NOT decide on a specific "sound" or genre for the cd, but instead would let the music be determined by the songs themselves. The artistic freedom of allowing the lyrical content to dictate the musical arrangement/sound created quite an eclectic cd. Delving fearlessly into social/personal issues that are a part of today's reality, Fara uses her voice and her lyrics as a catalyst for positive change, as a tool to promote self-awareness, and as a means of educating and sharing with the public her First Nations culture and history.
She dedicates this new album to her brother Gabriel, who was murdered in 2002 and chose to call the album Phoenix because of the symbolic nature of the Phoenix bird. When a Phoenix dies, it is engulfed in flames and is reborn through its ashes. Fara relates the grieving, recovering, and healing process that she and her family went through to the life cycle of the Phoenix. In a way, her family has risen from the ashes of the loss of their beloved Gabriel, and been reborn. And after a 6 and a half year break from music, some are saying it’s a rebirth of a career for Fara also.
So far in 2008 Ms. Palmer has received the following music industry nominations for her Phoenix cd:
2008 Juno Awards (CAN) “Aboriginal Recording of the Year”
2008 FAITA Awards (USA) “Outstanding Musical Achievement in a Contemporary Field”
2008 WCMA Awards (CAN) “Outstanding Aboriginal Recording”
2008 ISMA Awards (USA) “Best Pop Recording”
2008 APCMA Awards (CAN) “Best Producer/Engineer”
2008 NAMMY Awards (USA) “Female Artist Of The Year”, “Best Pop Artist”
2008 CAMA Awards (CAN) “Best Female Artist”, “Best Songwriter”, “Best Producer/Engineer”
2008 Saskatchewan First Nations Awards (CAN) “Arts & Entertainment”
Since the release of “Phoenix”, Fara has been involved in a number of other recording projects and her vocals and songwriting talents can be heard on the following cd’s:
*Sing, Move, & Read with Fara Palmer (a children’s album intended to teach reading skills to kids aged 3-7.
This cd incorporates Aboriginal music & sound in a contemporary format and comes with a teachers
manual.)
*Self-Titled by Award-winning HipHop group “7th Generation” (Crazy Cutz Records)
*Transitions by HipHop Artist “Kreepz” (Crazy Cutz Records)
*Violet Femmes Compilation Cd (RPW Records)
With all of this on the go what does Fara have planned for 2009?? How about a Cross-Canada Tour, the recording of her fourth cd, and workshop presenting galore!! This dynamic soul sista intends on creating music for a long time to come and aspires to share the knowledge and experience she has gained, both in life and in the music industry, with individuals who are interested in self-empowerment and a career in music, especially the youth!! To that end, Workshops & Guest speaking provide Fara with the opportunity to teach and to transfer knowledge to interested audiences.
FARA IS CURRENTLY PRESENTING WORKSHOPS ON THE FOLLOWING TOPICS:
➢ FARA’S MUSICAL JOURNEY
➢ THE MUSIC INDUSTRY
➢ EMPOWERMENT, HEALTH, & WELLNESS
➢ BUILDING SELF-CONFIDENCE
➢ FIRST NATIONS IDENTITY
➢ FIRST NATION CULTURAL GAMES
➢ FIRST NATIONS SUBSISTENCE PRACTICES
➢ VOCAL & PERFORMANCE TECHNIQUES
➢ CAREER & MOTHERHOOD
➢ ALCHOHOL, DRUGS, ABUSE, & RECOVERY
Be it a 30-thousand plus audience or an intimate gathering, Fara Palmer consistently wins crowds over with her own brand of positivity, humour, spirituality and her unique singing ability. If you’ve heard Fara’s music but haven’t ‘experienced’ her live show, make sure to visit her calender on The Official Fara Palmer Website to learn about upcoming events. And if you’re already a FARA PALMER fan, don’t forget to join her Mailing List by heading over to: www.musicfarapalmer.com
Ms. Palmer is currently accepting bookings for her 2008-2009 calender year. A 2009 “Fara Palmer & the 7th Generation Tour” is underway as well and we are now accepting bookings. The focus is to combine entertainment and knowledge via music performances and workshop presenting. The workshops will focus ona variety of topics such as: music, self-empowerment, addictions, recovery, cultural awareness, to name a few. For a complete breakdown of workshop titles and info, visit The Official Fara Palmer Website.
Instrumentation
Fara Palmer -Singer
-Songwriter
-Executive producer
-Aboriginal hand drummer & singer
-Workshop presentor/guest speaker
Discography
This Is My World 1997 - Blackmoon Records
Prettybrown 1999 - New Hayden Music Corp.
Phoenix 2007 - No label
Violet Femmes I: 2007 - RPW Records
Sing, Move, Read Cd 2007/08: Child literacy through music
NOTE: To purchase Phoenix, Prettybrown, or This Is My World please visit my website via the link below.
FOR PERFORMANCE &/OR WORKSHOP BOOKINGS, contact me by email or via my website(link below).
In peace and unity,
Fara Palmer
Links
| http://www.musicfarapalmer.com |
| Listen to ALL of Fara's music here!! |
| 2007 NAAA Performance footage on YouTube |
| Buy my music online at CdBaby: |
| Myspace music webpage |
| My Artistopia profile/music/epk |