Canadian Inuk singer-songwriter Susan Aglukark is preparing to release a new single while expanding her live schedule across Ontario and British Columbia, marking another milestone in a career spanning more than three decades.
Aglukark, an Officer of the Order of Canada, will release “For You,” known in Inuktitut as “Igvit” (ᐃᒡᕕᑦ), on September 8. The track will serve as the lead single from her forthcoming EP, Disco Ball, and is accompanied by a series of Canadian performances extending through December 2026.
The new recording brings together Indigenous artists and collaborators from several communities while also supporting organizations focused on Indigenous youth and reconciliation.
“For You” Evolves From a Personal Poem Into Collaborative Recording
The origins of “For You” date to 2022, when Aglukark wrote a poem titled “Igvit,” an Inuktitut word meaning “you.” What began as a private piece of writing gradually developed into one of the more collaborative recording projects of her career.
Working with longtime producer Chad Irschick, Aglukark developed the song with contributions from the Inuksuk Drum Dancers from Nunavut and Sweleyén, also known as Julianne Peters, of the Tsq’éscen’ First Nation in Secwepemcúl’ecw.
Deantha Edmunds, an Inuk classical singer and composer from Newfoundland and Labrador, also provided specialized choral guidance for the recording.
The project received support from the Ontario Arts Council, while Mary Piercey-Lewis contributed to recording sessions held in Toronto and Iqaluit, Nunavut.
A portion of proceeds from “For You” will be directed to The Orange Shirt Society and Aglukark’s Arctic Rose Foundation. The foundation supports Northern Inuit, First Nations and Métis youth through Indigenous-led arts programming.
New Release Adds to Aglukark’s Three-Decade Canadian Music Career
Born in Churchill, Manitoba, and raised in Arviat, Aglukark became the first Inuk artist to achieve a Top 40 hit in Canada with “O Siem.” The song emerged as the breakout single from her 1995 album This Child, which achieved triple-platinum status.
Her catalogue has since expanded to include albums such as Arctic Rose, Unsung Heroes, Big Feeling, Blood Red Earth and The Crossing, released in 2022.
Aglukark has received three Juno Awards during her career. She was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2005 and received the Governor General’s Performing Arts Award for Lifetime Artistic Achievement in 2016.
Her latest project continues a body of work closely connected with Northern and Indigenous experiences while bringing those themes to audiences across Canada.
Canadian Tour Schedule Includes “Upinnaq: A Beautiful Christmas”
Aglukark will support the new chapter of her recording career with an extensive Canadian performance schedule.
Her touring band features Mark Lalama on piano, keyboards and accordion, Shawn Sasynuik on drums and percussion, Stephan Berand on bass, and either Eric Treleavan or Jeff Smallwood on guitar. The musicians also contribute vocals during performances.
The schedule begins with the Together for Nature Tour alongside Terra Lightfoot, including stops in Ottawa on September 15, Toronto on September 16, Kitchener on September 17 and London on September 18.
Aglukark is also scheduled to appear at the Algoma Fall Festival in Sault Ste. Marie on October 17 before travelling to Richmond, British Columbia, where she will deliver a keynote at Crosscurrents 2026 on October 23.
Christmas Concerts Run From November Through December
Her holiday production, Upinnaq: A Beautiful Christmas, begins November 19 at the Capitol Centre in North Bay.
The tour continues through Orillia on November 20, Ottawa on November 21 and Brockville on November 22. Additional performances are scheduled for Brampton on November 26 and Chatham on November 27.
December dates include the River Run Centre in Guelph on December 2, the Sanderson Centre for the Performing Arts in Brantford on December 3 and the Flato Markham Theatre in Markham on December 4.
The performances arrive as Aglukark also marks the 30th anniversary period surrounding This Child, the album that helped establish her nationally.
With “For You,” Aglukark is combining new recorded music, Indigenous collaboration, charitable support and an active Canadian touring schedule, transforming a poem written four years earlier into a community-driven project that extends both her artistic catalogue and her longstanding work supporting Indigenous communities.