Eastern Owl is an Indigenous-led all nations group of women who blend the styles of First Nations Drum Music and Contemporary Folk to create their own innovative sound. Based primarily out of St. John’s, NL, the women of Eastern Owl hail from all across Ktaqamkuk (the island of Newfoundland). A powerful ensemble of seven vocalists, they have been captivating audiences across Canada and beyond since 2011.
With deep roots in community, Eastern Owl has committed to deepening their connection with their traditional practices while helping to educate Indigenous and non-Indigenous audiences through song. They are the recipients of multiple awards, including 2016 ArtsNL CBC Emerging Artist of the year, 2019 Music NL Indigenous Artist of the Year, and 2020 ECMA Indigenous Artist of the Year.
The group are active performers in their home community of St. John’s, NL, having performed at such festivals as Lawnya Vawnya, Spirit Song, and Newfoundland and Labrador Folk Festival. They have also taken the national stage for Canada Music Week (ON), Coastal First Nations Dance Festival (BC), Petapan (NB), and the Opening Ceremonies for the Canada Summer Games (NL). In 2023, they travelled to Brazil to showcase at COMAFEST in the capital city of Brasilia.
Eastern Owl has two full-length studio albums: “Not Quite Like You” (2016) , and “Qama’si” (2019). Now in 2026, they are writing new songs, and exploring possibilities for recording, collaboration, and multidisciplinary projects.
Eastern Owl is Jenelle Duval, Stacey Howse, Kayla Stride, Danielle Benoit, Natasha Blackwood, Jaime O’Leary, and Rebecca Sharr.