Emerging country music artist D’orjay The Singing Shaman’s voice is like the crisp comforting scent of a cool summer evening. Their songs have been in hibernation long enough and are ready to awaken with the changing season.

 

This ain’t your grandaddy’s country music, despite it paying homage to the classic country D’orjay The Singing Shaman grew up with in rural Alberta. And it sure as hell ain’t stadium girls-trucks-beer country. Instead, they colour outside the lines with anthemic, bold blues, honky-tonk and rock-flavoured roots with a distinct queer, Black twist. A self-described late bloomer, at 35 D’orjay grabbed the mic, releasing their critically acclaimed debut, the apropos-named New Kind of Outlaw November 2020. It charms with a yee-haw agenda anthem, a touching ode to their grandmother, a unique and disarming rendition of The Wallflowers’ “One Headlight” and conjures a rural highway trailer bar. D’orjay’s powerful warm voice guides orchestration featuring piano, syncopated electric guitar, paced banjo, fiddle and steel guitar, all with a healing self-reflection.

Since the release of “New Kind of Outlaw” D’orjay has been nominated for 2021 Breakout West Country Artist of the Year, had the title track featured on Hockey Night in Canada, has been a featured artist on Proud Radio Country and Color Me Country on Apple Music Radio and spent multiple weeks on the Alberta's CKUA Top Ten chart including two weeks in the #1 spot. D'orjay has been featured, interviewed, reviewed and/or mentioned by dozens of publications and outlets worldwide including Rolling Stone/ Rolling Stone Country, Country Queer, NPR, Nashville Scene, Wide Open Country, Bandcamp, 92Y, Canadian Musician Magazine, In Review and ARC Radio in the UK. Some of D'orjay and their six-piece band's most notable performances are the 2023 CBC music series "Road to the Junos" and "Juno Fest", Calgary Folk Festival (2022), K-Days (2022), Edmonton Fringe Festival (2022), Banff Pride (2022) and Festival Place (2022) along with D'orjay hitting the main stage at Edmonton Folk Festival (2022) supporting Headliner Allison Russell on duet vocals.

D’orjay recorded the entire “New Kind of Outlaw” project at Edmonton studio, Velveteen Audio, with JUNO nominated producer Brad Simons (Nuela Charles), engineers Randor Lin (Ten Second Epic) and Brad Smith (iamhill). You’ll hear country’s finest players including Grammy nominated Ryan Davidson on guitar, Travis Switzer (Meghan Patrick, Dallas Smith) on bass, Chad Melchert (Gord Bamford) on drums, Denis Dufresne (Ghost Boy, Dan Davidson) on fiddle, Mitch Jay on steel, banjo and dobro (CCMA Steel Player of the Year), Soulful Singalaong bandmate Vicky Berg (Rosina Cove) and Sierra Jamerson and Colin Brereton on Background Vocals.

One Sheet Career Highlights

  • Multiple Sold Out bi-monthly ticketed events at various venues in Edmonton and surrounding areas 2018-2020 (Gospel Brunch/Soulful Singalongs)

  • Performed opening number at Edmonton Convention Center for Women with Vision Gala 2019

  • Performed at Hawrelak Park for Silver Skate Festival 2019, 2020

  • Nov 2020 Album Release New Kind of Outlaw (recorded with Juno Nominated team of Velveteen Audio)