Sierra Spirit

Driving long hours through the middle of America, time seems to evaporate, nebulous spaces where memories flit up to the surface and fill the present. Sierra Spirit knows those stretches of land intimately, as if they live in her blood. Some of the Connecticut-via-Oklahoma singer-songwriter’s favorite memories tie back to long car trips with her grandmother, listening to stories about her Native American heritage. “We would listen to music, and my grandma loved the old country stations,” she says. “But what really stuck with me were the stories, the history, the connection.” For her new EP, Rodeo Clown, Sierra Spirit tapped into all of the timeless depth of her heritage, and of those car rides: honoring her attachment to Indigenous culture and blending classic country and folk with soaring indie songwriting.

Even from her name, Spirit’s Native American family plays an important role in her art. “In indigenous culture, we believe in listening and being perceptive to what the world is trying to tell you,” she says. “Before I was born, my dad had a dream where ancestors and family came to him and told him what my name should be.” As she grew up, Spirit then learned more about those traditions and took them into her own creativity. After first learning to play piano as a kid, she took up guitar and unlocked a new songwriting strength. “Oral history is such a huge part of Indigenous culture, and I wanted to paint the picture in as much detail as I can,” she explains. “Songwriting for me is a lot about finding closure for moments in my past and making it into something beautiful and meaningful.”