Innu singer-songwriter Mike Paul Kuekuatsheu reached first position on the Indigenous Music Countdown (IMC) with his song “Nutshimit”, an important achievement for contemporary Indigenous music and for the influence of Innu culture on national and international airwaves.
Broadcast across Canada and internationally by Indigenous radio stations and several partner stations, the Indigenous Music Countdown is one of the most important charts dedicated to Indigenous music. This first position demonstrates the support of the public, radio stations, presenters and communities who support First Peoples artists.
“I want to sincerely thank the entire Indigenous Music Countdown team, SiriusXM, Native Communications Inc., Indigenous and community radio stations as well as everyone who voted and shared my music. This first position also belongs to our language, our culture and our territory,” underlines Mike Paul Kuekuatsheu.
About the album NutshimitWith Nutshimit — which means inland in Innu-aimun — Mike Paul offers his most accomplished album to date. Deeply rooted in Nitassinan, the album explores the sacred relationship between the Innu people, the territory, memory and cultural transmission. Carried by folk, rock and alternative sounds, Nutshimit addresses themes such as the protection of the territory, identity, rivers, the resilience of the First Peoples and the spiritual connection with nature. The album features a strong contemporary Indigenous voice, rooted in tradition while looking toward the future. Through his songs, Mike Paul transforms the realities experienced by Indigenous peoples into powerful and unifying musical works.
Biography Originally from Mashteuiatsh, Mike Paul Kuekuatsheu is an Innu singer-songwriter recognized for his committed music deeply linked to the territory. Nicknamed Kuekuatsheu — the wolverine — he mixes folk, rock and contemporary indigenous music in a universe that is both poetic and militant. Over the years, Mike Paul has established himself as an important voice in the French-speaking indigenous music scene. He has presented his shows across Quebec, Ontario and British Columbia, bringing Innu culture to the stage through his songs and speaking engagements. His work highlights the protection of the territory, cultural transmission and the contemporary realities of the First Peoples. With this first place in the Indigenous Music Countdown, Mike Paul continues the national influence of Innu and Indigenous music.
About the artist and the album NutshimitInnu culture and the territory are deeply rooted in Mike Paul Kuekuatsheu, nicknamed the Carcajou. Surrounded by seasoned musicians, he gives us his most accomplished album: Nutshimit, a work that is at once poetic, rooted and powerful. The album, vibrating to the rhythm of the seasons, begins with folk sounds (mandolin, acoustic guitars, traditional drums), before rising to Nordic rock and inspired, carried by a deep voice that resonates like the echo of the ancients.Nutshimit invites us to travel to the heart of nomadism, to feel the spiritual connection to the territory, and to reconnect with the power of singing in Innu-aimun.
Summary description of the albumNutshimit (“towards the interior of the land”) is an exploration of a musical territory as vast and contrasting as the boreal forest itself – a thousand-year-old place of passage for nomadic peoples, a territory of belonging and memory. Composed of 11 tracks in Innu-aimun, French and English, this album combines tradition and modernity in a tribal folk-rock framework. The major themes – family, identity, territory, spirituality, resilience — unfold between light and darkness, between luminous songs celebrating nature and introspective pieces bearing the traces of combat, forgiveness and healing. Certain songs evoke painful realities: native residential schools, cultural genocide, the memory of missing women, but always with hope and dignity. Nutshimit is a vibrant tribute to survival and to Mother Earth. Ancestral drums, rivers, winds and electric guitars unite in a masterful crescendo.
Short biographyMike Paul Kuekuatsheu, Innu singer-songwriter originally from Mashteuiatsh, is a key figure in Indigenous music in Canada. Active for over 30 years, he founded his production company and self-produced several albums, including Nutshimit (2025), a work rooted in the territory and sung in Innu, French and English. Winner of several awards: • Indigenous Superstars Awards (2022) – Best rock album and Best album in indigenous language for Ashuapmushuan• Nominations for the Indigenous Music Awards (2019), Canadian Folk Music Awards (2020) and Native American Music Awards (2022)• Recipient of the Impulsion du CALQ scholarship (2019)Mike Paul has performed in Canada, the United States and Europe, and has participated in numerous television shows (Radio-Canada, APTN, Indigenous Day Live, La Petite Séduction, Makusham, etc.). He is also storyteller and speaker, sharing Innu culture and wisdom through music and speech.
Mike Paul’s songs are well received internationally and are broadcast on several radio stations in Europe, the United States and Canada. His songs “Nutshimit” and “Ilnu Utapelitamun” are also regularly played on SiriusXM satellite radio.
MikePaul is the only Indigenous artist from Quebec to appear on the national Indigenous music count!!! his song “Nutshimit” (meaning inland) continues to climb the charts! She currently occupies 2nd position on the Indigenous Music Countdown. The Indigenous Music Countdown is hosted by Jeff Woods. This show highlights the best new Indigenous music of today and also features interviews with artists from several musical genres, including hip-hop, rock, country, alternative, folk as well as pop and dance music.