“Cynthia Hamar is a folk musician who composes music that is menacing, powerful, and contemplative” (Music Arena Gh, 2022); an Alberta-born Métis singer-songwriter with four studio albums and another set to be released March 2025. Hamar completed a Bachelor of Music at MacEwan University in 2023 with distinction, majoring in Recording and Production. Cynthia was the recipient of the Victor-Osten Performing Arts Award (2022) as well as the winner of the 2021 Bent River Records Songwriting Competition and represented MacEwan as a performer at their 50-year celebration. Recently, Hamar received a sponsorship from Sound Scientific Inc. to showcase the “Rezacore” (www.rezacore.ca).

Cynthia has performed her music across Canada; some highlights include the Canadian Folk Music Awards 2024 in St John, NB, NXNE 2023, National Music Centre for National Indigenous Peoples Day, Calgary Folk Fest 2023, Sunshine Music Fest, Blue Heron, Sasquatch Gathering XXV, Pembina River Nights Festival (2022 & 2018), Jasper Folk Festival and a live performance on City TV Edmonton. She was an Artist in Residence at Keno City Yukon (2019) and SOCAN Song House (2017) and has participated in art showcases in Vancouver and Toronto while touring across the country through the Via Rail Artists on Board program (2018). Hamar has received radio attention for her past releases (#9 on CFBX Kamloops, #18 KSYM, San Antonio, #5 to #3 on Radio Phoenix, #1 on Indigenous Music Countdown) and has been nominated for a Toronto Music Award (Best Out Of Town Artist 2017), an Indigenous Music Awards (2017) and two GMAs for her 2010 release, Fairytale.

Cynthia Hamar’s last album, “Joint & Marrow,” was produced by Paul Johnston and featured acclaimed session musicians Chris Andrews, Jamie Cooper, and Paul Johnston, as well as Toronto producer and guitarist Joel Schwartz. Joint & Marrow was released on Neon Moon Records in September 2022, charting on earshot! The National Top 50 Chart, earshot! The National Folk/Roots/Blues Chart, receiving spins on CBC and finishing the year off at #26 on CKUA’s top 100 for 2022, earning a nomination for the Canadian Folk Music Awards 2024 as Indigenous Songwriter of the Year.

Hamar’s upcoming album, “The Wind The Wood”, has received funding from the Edmonton Arts Council and the Alberta Foundation of the Arts and is set to begin rollout in Spring 2025 with a couple of tasty surprises.