Brianna Lizotte: Blood Memory
JUNO-nominated Métis fiddler Brianna Lizotte released her third album titled "Blood Memory" on November 4th 2026. This 15-track album contains seven forgotten ancestral tunes that were preserved and taken from VHS home videos. Alongside eight brand new tunes composed by Brianna based on stories passed down to her by family members.
The tunes employ a blend of traditional Métis instrumentation while pushing these traditions in new directions through Brianna's more contemporary arrangement style. Her reasoning for blending these styles is to connect with all generations of her Métis community: the elders, the adults, and most importantly, the youth.
Brianna was inspired to create this album upon the passing of her family's matriarch, Bertha Lizotte, in 2025. At this time of loss, Brianna realized the crisis her community was facing: her elders and knowledge keepers were passing away. Unable to pass their teachings and stories onto the next generation. For this reason, "Blood Memory" is a call to action meant to inspire other Métis people to look inward, slow down, and begin learning about their family and cultural traditions.
"What makes us Métis IS our connection to community and our families," Lizotte states.
The creation of this project couldn't have happened without the support of her family, friends, community, the Canada Arts Council, and lastly, the preserved land of her late grandmother's house, on which this live-off-the-floor album was recorded.
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