Currently led by keyboardist Preston Singletary, Khu.éex' highlights the struggles that exist within Native American communities through a unique blend of jazz, funk, rock and spoken word in the native languages of Tlingit and Haida.
They visited the KNKX studios last year for a poetic and spiritual studio session. Each song held messages within their lyrics, lifted up by stirring rhythms and accompanying horns.
Vocalist Sondra Segundo shared more about their process of creating and writing such personable and memorable songs with fellow vocalist Gene Tagaban.
“During the writing session, Gene and I were just sitting, sitting there talking about this piece, and I had told him that my oldest son was struggling with suicidal thoughts, and he said, 'Sing to your son. Sing to your son.' But it also, you know, reflects Mother Earth speaking to her children. You were sent here for a reason. Don't give up. Love will come your way, and you are loved.”
Tagaban said it's important for this particular track, "Shapeshifter," to get out into the world.
“Because I think it will help many people, not only those in Indian country, but many of our first responders, our military relatives who are out there and their high suicide rates, and our young ones, and it's just happening. It's an epidemic out there. So appreciate the station for getting that piece out there and getting that healing out there,” Tagaban said.
Another one of their songs, and a highlight of the 2024 studio session, is "Prophetess / Woman Warrior," which had the studio grooving. Within the groove is a message of nurturing and building community, with lyrics originally written by Lil’wat Nation member Faye Nelson.
“I contacted her to ask permission to use her song, and she told me an amazing story," Segundo explained.
"First of all, she said it wasn't meant to be this warrior song. It was because women are gentle with their children. It was a song about women, and their gentleness. But her daughter was in jail with a bunch of other women for over 40 days, for protecting the land. And this is often what happens to our people, when we protect our mother, and we can't stop...it's just a part of who we are. We'll never stop trying to protect her.
And her daughter called her mom and said, 'Mom, we're losing hope. We need a song.' And she said, give me some time. And she fasted and prayed for four days, and this song came to her, and a lot of women used it during the women's marches that were going on, and it's just a very powerful song. It's an honor to be able to sing that."
Khu.éex' continues to release music, including new singles "Love Birds" and "We Pray." They plan to release a new album, supported by a crowdfunding campaign, later this year.
