CELEBRATING 20 YEARS OF OUR SONGWRITER IN RESIDENCE PROGRAM
In 2025, DCMF is celebrating 20 years of our Songwriter-in-Residence program. To mark this milestone, KIAC and DCMF have teamed up for a concert series that brings back some of the most beloved participants from the past two decades.
Three former SiRs will return to Dawson City this winter for full band shows at Dënäkär Zho / KIAC Ballroom. These mini-residencies will provide them with the opportunity to reconnect with our community and revisit what they were working on during their original residencies.
JANUARY 9th – LEELA GILDAY (SiR #1) and DESIRÉE DAWSON (SiR #20)
FEBRUARY 15TH – KHARI WENDELL MCCLELLAND (SiR #10)
MARCH 22ND – SKYE WALLACE (SiR #13)
Tickets for all three shows are available now via the KIAC website. Full details below.
Huge thanks to the Canada Council for the Arts for making this celebration possible.
JANUARY 9th – LEELA GILDAY AND DESIRÉE DAWSON
The series kicks off on January 9th with performances by Leela Gilday and Desirée Dawson. Leela Gilday, from Yellowknife (NWT), was DCMF’s very first Songwriter-in-Residence. Desirée Dawson, from Vancouver (BC), has just been announced as the 20th participant in the program and will be spending the entire month of January in Dawson City.
Both Leela and Desirée are award-winning songwriters and powerhouse vocalists. Leela will perform with a full band of talented musicians from across Canada, while Desirée will present new material she’s developing during her residency.
We can think of no better way to celebrate two decades of this vital program!
ABOUT DESIRÉE DAWSON
Desirée Dawson is an award-winning songwriter and recording artist from Vancouver, BC. A festival favorite at DCMF 2023, we are thrilled to welcome her back! Driven by a passion for collective liberation, Desirée’s music emphasizes that learning how to take care of ourselves and getting to know and love ourselves, is essential to fostering stronger and more loving connections with the world around us.
ABOUT LEELA GILDAY
Leela Gilday is one of the most successful songwriters to emerge from the Northwest Territories. A passionate singer-songwriter and soulful performer, her voice comes straight from the heart. With a raw, honest presence on stage, Gilday shares her stories—drawing on her experiences as a northerner, a member of the Dene Nation, and a traveler—inviting listeners into a world rich with emotion and connection.
FEBRUARY 15th – KHARI WENDELL MCCLELLAND
The second show in the series features a full-band performance by Khari Wendell McClelland from Vancouver (BC). Khari was DCMF’s 10th Songwriter-in-Residence in 2015. He made a lasting impression on the Dawson community, organizing a choir that continued to perform together long after his residency.
We are excited to welcome Khari back to Dawson City for a weeklong mini-residency. Stay tuned for more details on how you can get involved beyond his performance on February 15th.
ABOUT KHARI WENDELL MCCLELLAND
Originally from Detroit, Khari Wendell McClelland has become a darling on the Canadian music scene, with critics praising his performances as a clever mix of soul and gospel. Khari’s songwriting crosses genres and generations, joyfully invoking the spirit of his ancestors who straddled the US-Canadian border in efforts to escape slavery and discrimination. His music draws from this rich history, integrating the rhythms and folklore of early African-Americans with contemporary sounds and stories of struggle. Recently, Khari received critical acclaim for his Freedom Singer project, recreating the music fugitive slaves carried on their journey north into Canada. Khari also performs with the Roots Gospel group The Sojourners. Whether on stage or in the studio, Khari’s passion for community, equality and justice is palpable, as is his belief in the redemptive power of music.
MARCH 22nd – SKYE WALLACE
The series ends with a bang on March 22nd with a performance by Skye Wallace (Toronto, ON). Skye was DCMF’s 13th Songwriter-in-Residence in 2018. During her short stay in Dawson, she dove headlong into Dawson culture, hosting a radio show on CFYT and joining a curling team.
She makes her triumphant return to Dawson in March for a weeklong mini-residency. This time she is bringing with her one of the finest rock bands in the Country. The perfect way to complete this 20th Anniversary celebration!
ABOUT SKYE WALLACE
With a voice that soars and captivates, Skye Wallace has earned a reputation as one of Canada’s most compelling artists. Their blend of folk, rock, and alternative influences, along with their ability to craft emotive and impactful lyrics, has won critical acclaim and a devoted fan base. The Act of Living marks Wallace’s latest artistic evolution, offering an exploration of life’s most profound experiences, with songs that are both cathartic and reflective. Produced alongside Hawksley Workman and released on Tiny Kingdom, The Act of Living finds Skye fully embracing the grungy, unbridled enthusiasm of their live performances, as they invite listeners on a journey of near-death experiences, dream worlds, loss, and rebirth.