TORONTO (CelebrityAccess) – Toronto-based label Ishkōdé Records, a hotbed of emerging Indigenous artist discovery, adds a new dimension to the label roster with the signing of Keith Secola, an iconic artist and member of the Native American Music Hall of Fame. Ishkōdé Records is the home of a new version of Secola’s drum and chant driven hit, “NDN Kars,” featured in the season finale of AMC’s hit thriller Dark Winds. “NDN Kars” (Dark Winds Version) is out now.
“NDN Kars” (Dark Winds Version) adds to the song’s storied history and legacy. One of the most ubiquitous and popular songs across Indigenous and Native American nations, “NDN Kars” remains an anthem of sovereignty, identity and resistance. Its journey and place in culture tells a remarkable story, from its original cassette release to its breakout feature on “Dance Me Outside,” from its remix by The Halluci Nation to this new version for 2025, the “most requested song on tribal radio” endures.
“This song became the anthem for the new generation of NDN musicians. The spelling NDN became part of our lexicon that we use today,” says Secola. “Even with disparity and hardship survivors can restore our identity through artistic expression which is forever resistant. We can transcend oppression by affirming our cultural pride and rebel against oppression which causes our fragmentation. NDN Kars is about the richness of being poor.”
Given its history and importance, it tracks that “NDN Kars”’ rises again in the context of a new groundbreaking project. AMC’s Dark Winds, set in Navajo Nation, draws rave reviews for its storytelling and for its Indigenous representation, from cast to crew to its Navajo cultural advisors. “NDN Kars” (Dark Winds Version) is featured in the final episode of Season Three, which aired Sunday, April 27.
As Ishkōdé Records’ first artist signing outside of Canada, Secola’s addition to the roster signals an exciting step forward for the label, bridging and uniting Indigenous music generations and nations across Northern Turtle Island. “Keith Secola is a masterful storyteller whose songs carry truth, humour, resistance, and pride,” says Ishkōdé’s ShoShona Kish. “His voice is timeless and unmistakably authentic, a force celebrated and uplifted across generations. We are deeply honored to welcome Keith to the Ishkōdé Records family and to stand alongside him as ‘NDN Kars’ continues its remarkable journey, inspiring a new era.”
