The nominees were recently announced for this year’s Native American Music Awards and, although you can’t see Blair Bellerose’s name on the list, he’s there in big, bold lights with his new solo project.
The former frontman of SOL 3 started up Midnight Sparrows from his new home in Vancouver. His first album, 2020’s Rock & Roll City, is now one of the contenders for Best Rock Recording in contemporary and traditional formats.
“It means a lot to me — it really does — on a couple of different levels. It's just, it's really amazing,” he said.
The Best Rock Recording category won’t be a walk-in-the-park win for any of the 100-plus nominees. The judging is being conducted by popular opinion, meaning that members of the public get to vote on their favoured performers.
“It's wonderful to be included among so much amazing Indigenous talent. Just to be included is an honour. There really are some amazing Indigenous musical artists out there. Though I had played in a band for a lot of years, it wasn't specifically an Indigenous project, my bandmates weren't necessarily Indigenous. I was more just associated with the local rock scene. With this project, I've been able to get more in touch with the actual Indigenous arts and music community. Of course, as an Indigenous person myself, that's a great honour.”
Now 48, the Cree/Métis musician got his start on the scene with SOL 3, which arose out of St. Albert before moving to Vancouver. Midnight Sparrows's Rock & Roll City is a hard rockin’ wonderland with its 12-track debut album that earns its title. This is the music that you want to have on at the club, in your car, and on your home stereo with the volume kicked up so the neighbours would surely notice.
That in itself is a tribute to Bellerose’s roots, who caught the rock fever well before he was even a teen. A large part of his musical development, he said, can be traced to the albums his older siblings would play.
“When I was a little kid, they were listening to KISS and Black Sabbath and Iron Maiden and stuff. Most of my siblings were teenagers when I was still three, four, five years old. That's really what introduced me into music,” he said, offering a note on his bio that he started playing guitar at 11 or 12.
He played in some bands in St. Albert through junior high and high school before SOL 3 came together.
Midnight Sparrows is his way of showcasing more of his talents as a solo act without simply using his own name. Call it what you want, it’s all Blair Bellerose.
“I wrote all the songs. I did all the vocals and guitars and I brought in some of the best session players you can find in Vancouver to play drums, bass, and keyboards.”
The Native American Music Awards has been tentatively scheduled for some time in the spring, but voting is now open at nativeamericanmusicawards.com. Visitors to the site can listen to each of the nominees. There are 39 categories and votes can be cast until March 31.
You can also visit midnightsparrows.com and listen to the full album, which is also available on Apple Music, Spotify, Amazon Music, and most major music streaming and download platforms.
