Cree singer Niska Napoleon sold everything to tour Canada

Niska Napoleon quit her day job as a nanny to three families, sold all of her belongings and set out across Canada to follow her musical dream.

The 29-year-old left her home in Vancouver with her friend and fellow artist DJ Kookum on August 6, in a van purchased with the proceeds from liquidating her assets — including a Martin guitar that was a gift to help her on her tour.

Napoleon, who is equally at home belting out electronic dance vocals and performing quiet, introspective acoustic guitar ballads, has spent more than two decades as part of other acts including Red Power Squad and Iskwew.

"I've let other people guide my career but now I am doing what I want to do," said Napoleon.

Building the perfect beast

Dubbed the Warm Up Tour, Napoleon's end goal is to make it to Toronto to jam with Juno award winning group Digging Roots.

She's performing on nightclub stages and at powwows as she chases her dream across the country in what is best described as a guerilla marketing campaign to get her name and sound out there to build a fan base.

• 9 Indigenous musicians you need to know
• Eekwol says beats and rhymes the new way to tell indigenous story

"I'm already in the hole," she said.

The fact that she sometimes has just enough money to get her to the next town has not deterred her. At a powwow just outside Edmonton, Napoleon approached the organizer and begged to come and sing one song during the dinner break. This proved fruitful. A blanket was laid out and dancers and drummers donated $300 to her tour.

"It was enough to get us to Winnipeg."

Running on empty

But her luck almost ran out in Regina, when her van ran into a mechanical issue. They rolled into a garage to get the car checked. Napoleon performed music for the mechanic while he checked her vehicle.

The passionate musician told him her story. And in exchange for the private concert she gave while he fixed the van, the mechanic didn't charge her.

When I walked into the club that night, I had $6 to my name, my gas tank was almost on empty. By the time the show was over, I had $90 for gas and a Martin acoustic/electric guitar.- Niska Napoleon

During her stay in Winnipeg, Napoleon performed a small set at the Pyramid Cabaret shortly after she took the stage during Aboriginal Music Week's Open Mic night. A small gathering of musicians and industry people followed her to next gig where she captivated the appreciative audience.

Inuvialiut musician Leanne Goose, who played the festival, raised a small amount of money to help Napoleon continue her tour.

"Niska is the new generation of artists coming up and took this crazy wild risk to follow her passion," said Goose.

"Planning might have been a bit lacking, but the dream, the ambition and determination is solid as a rock," she added.

Goose's guitar player, Jared Sowan saw what many see in the Cree musician when she performs live — that x factor. So Sowan didn't hesitate when he learned she had sold her guitar to help fund the tour. He gave Napoleon his own Martin guitar.

Turn the beat around

"When I walked into the club that night, I had $6 to my name, my gas tank was almost on empty. By the time the show was over, I had $90 for gas and a Martin acoustic/electric guitar," said Napoleon.

"I feel like the universe keeps finding ways to tell me not to be afraid, to continue on and have faith and belief in myself."

Part of the universe urging Napoleon to keep going, came in the form of multi-award winning artist Shy-Anne Hovorka. The Nipigon, Ont., resident offered food and gas money to the young musician.

Planning might have been a bit lacking, but the dream, the ambition and determination is solid as a rock.- Leanne Goose, singer-songwriter.

​Napoleon is grinding hard to make her dream come true. Currently in Gravenhurst, Ont., she is confirming a gig in Meaford later this week. 

With only $35 in her pocket and half a tank of gas to get her to the next gig, she has to stick around Ontario until Sept. 7, when Shoshona Kish and Raven Kanatakta of Digging Roots will be home from their own summer tour.

And when she finally makes her way there, the husband and wife team will be waiting for her.

"A couple of weeks ago Niska tagged us in a tweet," said Kish.