Midnight Shine

Midnight Shine is a Canadian roots-rock band from Northern Ontario and Manitoba, consisting of lead vocalist/guitarist Adrian Sutherland (Attawapiskat First Nation^[1]), bassist/vocalist Stan Louttit (Moose Factory First Nation), guitarist/vocalist Zach Tomatuk (Moose Factory First Nation) and drummer Charnelle Menow (Norway House Cree Nation). They have released three studio albums and three music videos and have been actively touring across Canada since 2016.^[2][3]

Midnight Shine
Genres	Roots rock pop rock
Labels	Midnight Shine Music
Members	Adrian Sutherland Stan Louttit Zach Tomatuk Charnelle Menow George Gillies
Website	midnightshineonline.com

History

In 2011, Adrian Sutherland was given the opportunity to open for the band Trooper at their performance in Timmins, Ontario.^[4] He recruited 3 other musicians from the James Bay area to create Midnight Shine.^[5][6]

The band mixes roots, classic, and modern rock, with elements of their Indigenous language, Mushkegowuk Cree.^[7][8] In 2017, original drummer George Gillies departed the band. A year later, they recruited Charnelle Menow from Norway House, Manitoba as replacement.^[9]

In 2021 Sutherland released the solo album When the Magic Hits.^[10] The album was a Juno Award nominee for Contemporary Indigenous Artist of the Year at the Juno Awards of 2022.^[11]

In 2024 Sutherland collaborated with Brazilian actor and singer Rodrigo Massa on "Don Politico", a mixed English-Spanish version of his 2019 single "Politician Man".^[12]

Members

• Adrian Sutherland – lead vocals, guitar (2011–present)^[13]
• Stan Louttit – bass, vocals (2011–present)^[14]
• Zach Tomatuk – guitar, vocals (2011–present)
• Charnelle Menow – drums (2018–present)
• George Gillies – drums (2011–2017)

Discography

• Midnight Shine (2013; Midnight Shine Music)
• Northern Man (2014; Midnight Shine Music)
• High Road (2018; Midnight Shine Music)

Music videos

• "I Need Angels" (November 8, 2018)^[15][16][17]
• "Heart of Gold" (January 8, 2019)^[18]
• "Bobcaygeon" (January 14, 2019)
• "Leather Skin" (May 27, 2019)

References

1. Ahsan, Sadaf (May 6, 2016). "Canadian band Midnight Shine hopes to prove there is talent and not just tragedy coming out of Attawapiskat". National Post.
2. "Canadian Music Week: It's a long, long way to Toronto for this Attawapiskat rock band | The Star". The Toronto Star. 5 May 2016. Retrieved 2019-03-27.
3. "Midnight Shine". Midnight Shine. 18 January 2019. Retrieved 2019-01-19.
4. "Midnight Shine (ON)". Vancouver Folk Music Festival. Retrieved 2019-07-24.
5. Doole, Kerry (November 17, 2016). "First Nations Pop/Rock Band Midnight Shine". SOCAN Words + Music.
6. "Third-world conditions a reality even for Indigenous artists, Attawapiskat musician says". CBC. May 16, 2019.
7. Singing Neil Young's Heart of Gold in Cree, retrieved 2019-08-01
8. "First Words: Adrian Sutherland speaks Cree". CBC. March 5, 2019.
9. Helmer, Aedan (April 3, 2017). "Midnight Shine frontman brings rock 'n' hockey skills to JUNO Cup | Ottawa Citizen". Ottawa Citizen.
10. Dorothy Stewart, "Adrian Sutherland launches deeply personal solo album". CBC North, November 3, 2021.
11. Jackson Weaver, "Charlotte Cardin, The Weeknd, Justin Bieber lead 2022 Juno Award nominees". CBC News, March 1, 2022.
12. Marissa Lentz-McGrath, "'People over politics': Northern singer's protest song goes international". Sudbury.com, September 11, 2024.
13. "Adrian Sutherland". HuffPost Canada. Retrieved 2019-03-27.
14. Friend, David (May 6, 2016). "Attawapiskat band Midnight Shine chases mainstream dreams from northern Ontario". CBC.
15. Interview with Attawapiskat band Midnight Shine, retrieved 2019-08-01
16. Brophy, Aaron (November 12, 2018). "Midnight Shine's New Video Tackles Suicide, Depression Crisis In Far North". Samaritan Mag.
17. Lewis, Haley (November 8, 2018). "Cree Band Midnight Shine Films 'I Need Angels' Music Video In Attawapiskat". Huffington Post.
18. Herodier, Christopher (January 16, 2019). "Midnight Shine highlights Cree language in video cover of Neil Young classic". CBC.