ME
Mali Obomsawin is a bassist, singer, composer and songwriter from Odanak W8banaki First Nation. With an eclectic background in jazz & creative music, American roots & folk, and indie rock, Obomsawin carries several music traditions. A Smithsonian Folkways Recordings artist, Mali has toured internationally, receiving acclaim from NPR and RollingStone and several Boston Music Awards nominations with her band Lula Wiles. She frequents the folk & roots circuit as both frontwoman and sidewoman, appearing at Newport and Philly Folk festivals, and performs as a bassist & singer in the jazz and creative music scene with the likes of Bill Cole, Taylor Ho Bynum, Peter Apfelbaum and Delbert Anderson. In 2020 she joined Welcome to Indian Country, an Indigenous Performance Production featuring six leading Indigenous artists in Jazz and roots music. In 2021-2022, she is developing and launching her first project as a bandleader, "Sweet Tooth," performed by a sextet of leading young voices in jazz and creative music and exploring concepts of Indigenous identity, colonization and resistance.
Obomsawin’s diverse musical background, sharp lyrical wit, and grounded sensibilities reflect extensive experience across several idioms. Known for her sardonic songwriting, Mali’s songs puncture the dream-haze of the capitalist apocalypse with a delicate balance of rock, improvisation and satire. She performs as a solo artist and small ensembles.
Beyond the stage Mali is a freelance journalist, published recently in The Boston Globe, National Performance Network, and Smithsonian Folklife Magazine. She is an advocate for Indigenous Sovereignty and collective liberation and works with the organizations Racial Equity and Justice and Sunlight Media Collective. Mali founded Bomazeen Land Trust in 2020, a Wabanaki-led nonprofit for land rematriation and food sovereignty, where she is now Executive Director.
Additional Content:
Wabanaki Land Rematriation work
The first and only Wabanaki Land Trust
Institution/Business Type:
Artist / Creative (Individual)
Legal Status:
Commercial / For profit - Sole proprietorship
Year Founded:
2014
Institution/Business Type:
Artist / Creative (Individual)
Legal Status:
Commercial / For profit - Sole proprietorship
Year Founded:
2014
Primary Discipline:
Music - GeneralAdditional Disciplines:
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Populations Engaged:
Languages Available:
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Awards:
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NEST Eligible Artist
Technical Requirements:
Fee Range:
$200 - $15,000State of Residence:
MaineMinimum Number of Performers:
1Maximum Number of Performers:
6NEST Eligible Artist
Technical Requirements:
Fee Range:
$200 - $15,000State of Residence:
MaineMinimum Number of Performers:
1Maximum Number of Performers:
6