Abenaki singer-songwriter John Metza, signed to Nikamo Productions, returns with a new single entitled “Camelia”, which will be available on all platforms on June 21, 2026, the symbolic day of the 30th National Indigenous Peoples Day. After a first notable foray into the indigenous musical landscape with the singles “Sorry” and “The man on the mountain”, this new single announces the upcoming album, which is scheduled to be launched during Présence Autochtone on August 5, 2026. This appearance also coincides with the 5th anniversary of the Nikamo Productions label, founded by Samian.
After several years in the construction field, John Metza chose to refocus on his Abenaki roots and pursue his dream: writing, singing and telling his story. Her primary goal is to inspire others to believe that it is never too late to change your life.
For Metza, music is a visceral way to reconnect with his Indigenous heritage and open up to others. It was the uniqueness of his voice that convinced Samian, founder of Nikamo Productions, to sign him to the label. Founded in 2021, Nikamo Productions supports independent artists from cultural and linguistic diversity and actively campaigns for better representation of indigenous people in the musical sector.
“Camelia” mixes folk, country and blues sounds with Mario Légaré on double bass and Raphaël D’Amour on mandolin, evoking the timeless timbres of Johnny Cash and Elvis Presley while being part of a neo-country revival inspired by artists like Zach Bryan and Chris Stapleton. This song was born from this emotion, from this fascination for the infinite possibilities that a simple encounter can give rise to and for these stories which sometimes exist more in our imagination than in reality.
The album which will be released on August 5 was produced by François Lalonde (Jean Leloup, Lhasa De Sela).