Black Belt Eagle Scout, also known as multi-instrumentalist Katherine Paul, has written a love letter to Indigenous strength and healing in the form of her upcoming album, The Land, The Water, The Sky.
Videos by American Songwriter
A member of the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community, Paul created the album “to record and reflect upon my journey back to my homelands and the challenges and the happiness it brought.” The songs on her third LP detail a story of hope and are linked together by a common thread of remembrance.
With news of The Land, The Water, The Sky, Paul has shared a glimpse into her personal work with the song, “My Blood Runs Through This Land.”
“‘My Blood Runs Through This Land’ is about the connection I have with my ancestors,” Paul said of her recently released single. “When I run my hands through the rocks at Snee Oosh beach and dip my fingers into our waterways, I am reminded of where I come from.
“Paying attention to all of the sounds and the feelings I get when I am immersed in trails of cedar trees and canoeing out on the water deeply grounds me and strengthens my bond to my lineage of the Swinomish tribe. I wanted the delicateness of these moments to meet the intense reality of the history of my people. I like to imagine my blood – all of my ancestors – running through our homelands freely and powerfully.”
The energy of the song is captured perfectly in the accompanying music video, below.
The follow-up to her 2019 release, At the Party With My Brown Friends, her new album is set to drop Feb. 10.
The Land, The Water, The Sky Track List:
1. “My Blood Runs Through This Land”
2. “Sedna”
3. “Salmon Stinta”
4. “Blue”
5. “On the River”
6. “Nobody”
7. “Fancy Dance”
8. “Sčičudz (a narrow place) “
9. “Treeline”
10. “Understanding”
11. “Spaces”
12. “Don’t Give Up”
Photo by Nate Lemuel / Courtesy of Pitch Perfect PR
