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Though she just released her first single last month, Indigenous singer Tia Wood has been steadily gaining fans since early 2020. The 25-year-old first amassed a following on TikTok, where she often champions her Cree and Salish heritage through songs on the app (she has more than two million followers). Now, she’s ready to bring her unique sound to the mainstream music scene with the release of two new tracks: “Dirt Roads” and “Losing Game”—her first singles since officially signing with Sony Music last year. “It’s been really relieving to finally pour a piece of my heart out into the world after keeping people waiting for so long,” Wood tells Vogue. “I’m so thankful for all the love and support we’ve been getting on these first two tracks. Little Tia cannot believe it still!”
Hailing from the Saddle Lake Cree Nation in Alberta, Canada, Wood was always destined to make music. Growing up, she often toured the powwow trails, where she would sing and dance with her family—some of whom are members of the Grammy Award–winning group Northern Cree. After sharing her singing on TikTok, she quickly attracted the attention of Sony Music, becoming one of the first Indigenous women signed to the label. “It was honestly surreal,” says Wood. “I still have trouble processing it sometimes. Growing up with lack of representation made it feel impossible to dream dreams such as this, and to be one of the first Indigenous women signed with my label is something I could’ve only dreamed of as a child.”
Wood’s debut singles make for a strong introduction to the world. Her first song and music video, “Dirt Roads,” was filmed back in her home community in Alberta. Wood wrote the track about three years ago, when she first left the rez for Los Angeles to pursue music. “I moved with just enough for first month’s rent. I bought a $100 bed on Facebook Marketplace and a big box of noodles without any idea of how I was going to make the next month’s rent,” she says. The experience inspired her to write the song—a track about missing rez life back home. “I missed my home; I felt like a fish out of water,” she says. “I lost access to being around my family, ceremony, and community. This was hard, but it also became my strength to keep going. It’s a love letter to my home for raising me. It’s a love letter to all Indigenous people.”
Of course, Wood made sure to bring her best fashions forward for the new music video. In it, Wood showcases distinctive Indigenous-made pieces, including beaded regalia, feathered hairpieces, and dentalium shell earrings. Just like her music, Wood hopes to incorporate special cultural touches into her fashion choices as a way to proudly represent where she comes from. “I love to intertwine Indigenous vocals and sounds as well, because my traditional music is where I got my start,” she says. “By doing this, I hope for our people to listen and hear themselves in my music.”
Just last week, Wood released her second follow-up song, “Losing Game.” It’s a groovy, laid-back track about a relatable romantic quandary: loving someone to a fault. “This song talks about loving someone who doesn’t reciprocate the same energy and effort as you do,” explains Wood. “I’m sure we can all relate to being in that kind of relationship—the kind that leaves you wondering why, where, or what went wrong, what you could’ve done better, or if it was even your fault.”
Up next, Wood is releasing more tracks—and potentially an album, too. “We have written and recorded so many songs. Some are more on the R&B and pop side, where others have country flares to them,” Wood says. “I don’t want to give away too much, but we have a project coming out in early fall.” The talented, stylish rising star is definitely one to watch.
