iskwē | ᐃᐢᑫᐧᐤ (short for waseskwan iskwew, meaning “blue sky woman”) is an award-winning Indigenous creator whose catalogue drips of a spectrum of emotions and is powered by resilience. Following several seasons of high highs being met with low lows, the Cree Métis artist retreated south to Mexico and inward to her soul to paint a 10-song collection that illustrates the gut-wrenching roller coaster ride that has been her recent life.
“Sure To Come,” iskwē’s empowering album single written after an attempt to discredit her identity and work, features on nīna and has been given new life by the reggaeton artists Marson El Original and Indigo, who performs as a member of Barranquilla, Colombia collective, Systema Solar.
Pulsating with beats, live marimba performed by Miguel Haller, playful synths and airhorn, “Sure To Come” has experienced a rebirth by way of Marson El Original and Indigo’s reggaeton treatment.
“While we were in Mexico City back in the summer of 2021, a friend of mine turned me onto this incredible crew from Barranquilla Colombia [Systema Solar],” iskwē recalls.
“I remember it perfectly – we were getting ready to go to the studio when the song ‘Antena’ came on – and it immediately caught my attention. I came out from the bathroom where I was fixing my hair, and the moment the song was over, I started it again from the beginning. The song had a great energy, and the vocalists added such a delicious colour to the tune. I was listening to more and more of their music, and really loved the spirit and energy they each brought to their art.
The same person who led me to the music eventually led me to an introduction to Indigo, one of the group members and one of the masterminds of this remix! Working with Marson El Original and Indigo has been a lot of fun. I absolutely love the direction the remix takes, and how the message and mood fits from the North to the South. It feels good to just let go and let your body move, and in those moments I catch myself singing along, I realize it feels like I’ve been listening to the song again for the first time!”
