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Jeremy Dutcher is a classically trained Canadians Indigenous tenor, composer, musicologist, performer and activist, "Jeremy Dutcher breathes new life into century-old Wolastoq recordings" . Halifax Chronicle-Herald, May 8, 2018. who previously lived in Toronto, Ontario and currently lives in Montréal, Québec. He became widely known for his first album Wolastoqiyik Lintuwakonawa, which won the 2018 Polaris Music Prize "Jeremy Dutcher Wins 2018 Polaris Music Prize". Exclaim!, September 17, 2018 and the Juno Award for Indigenous Music Album of the Year at the 2019 Juno Awards. "Shawn Mendes the biggest winner as bulk of Juno Awards handed out Saturday". CBC News, March 17, 2019.
He recorded Wolastoqiyik Lintuwakonawa following a research project on archival recordings of traditional Maliseet songs at the Canadian Museum of History, many of which are no longer being passed down to contemporary Maliseet youth. "Jeremy Dutcher : chanter avec les voix ressuscitées de ses ancêtres". Ici Radio-Canada, May 22, 2018.
In 2021, Dutcher collaborated with cellist Yo-Yo Ma on the "Honor Song" by composer George Paul. The track is included on Ma's album "Notes for the Future". Dutcher sang the song in original Mi'kmaq as well as in Wolastoqey, his own language.
He appeared as a guest judge in an episode of the third season of Canada's Drag Race in 2022.
Dutcher held fundraising concerts and donated to the Kehkimin Wolastoqey Language Immersion School, founded by his mother, Lisa Perley-Dutcher. "I think it's a really exciting moment for linguistic revitalization in Wolastoq territory," Dutcher told APTN News.
In 2023, he released the album Motewolonuwok on Secret City Records.Alex Hudson, "Jeremy Dutcher Announces Sophomore Album 'Motewolonuwok,' Shares New Single 'Ancestors Too Young'". Exclaim!, June 20, 2023. The album again features some songs performed in the Maliseet-Passamaquoddy language like on his debut, but also features some English-language songs.David Friend, "Jeremy Dutcher worried about getting 'stuck' in his archival past before second album". Toronto Star, October 12, 2023. The album was a Juno Award nominee for Adult Alternative Album of the Year at the Juno Awards of 2024, "Junos 2024: full list of winners". CBC Music, March 23, 2024. and winner of the 2024 Polaris Music Prize,CBC Music, "Jeremy Dutcher wins the 2024 Polaris Music Prize". CBC Music, September 17, 2024. making Dutcher the first artist in Polaris history to win the prize twice.Brad Wheeler, "Jeremy Dutcher won his historic second Polaris Music Prize through bold reinvention". The Globe and Mail, September 18, 2024.
Dutcher is the 2025 National Arts Centre Award laureate, presented by Her Excellency the Right Honourable Mary Simon, Governor General of Canada. At the Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards Gala, Dutcher performed with Inuit singer-songwriter Susan Aglukark
Dutcher identifies as two-spirit, "Tenor Jeremy Dutcher revives the songs of his Maliseet ancestors at the Queer Arts Festival". The Georgia Straight, June 13, 2018. a modern, Pan-Indianism, umbrella term used by some Indigenous North Americans to describe aboriginal people fulfilling a traditional third gender (or other Gender variance) ceremonial cultural role in their community.
At the Juno Awards pre-telecast industry gala dinner on March 16, 2019, Dutcher used his acceptance speech to critique the Justin Trudeau government's approach to reconciliation with Indigenous peoples. "Read Jeremy Dutcher's powerful 2019 Junos speeches in full". CBC News, Holly Gordon, Mar 17, 2019 Although his remarks were interrupted partway through when he was played off the stage, later that evening Arkells gave their own speaking time to allow him to conclude his remarks. He made his first national televised performance at the Juno Awards the following night, March 17, 2019, performing “Sakomawit” from his album Wolastoqiyik Lintuwakonawa beneath black and white photographs of his Wolastoq ancestors.
The intersection of identifying as both Indigenous and allows Dutcher to speak out on the Indigenization of queer spaces. In the Two-Spirit Roundtable project he speaks on the lack of gendered pronouns in the Maliseet language, and advocates for a "less western" way of thinking about gender.
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