Claude McKenzie

About

The artist

Claude McKenzie is an Innu singer-songwriter and guitarist based in Mani-Utenam on Quebec's Côte-Nord. Born in Matimekush near Schefferville, he moved with his family to Mani-Utenam as a child and learned guitar within a community rich in Innu musical traditions. In the 1980s he formed Kashtin with Florent Vollant. The duo brought Innu-aimun folk rock to audiences across Canada and internationally through albums including Kashtin, Innu, and Akua Tuta. Their debut became double platinum in Canada, and the three albums received JUNO nominations while helping make Innu-language popular music visible far beyond the Côte-Nord. McKenzie began a parallel solo catalogue with Innu Town in 1997, followed by Pishimuss in 2004 and Inniu in 2009. His songs move between Innu-aimun, French, and English while retaining acoustic guitar, memorable melodies, and themes tied to land, family, resilience, and everyday life. After another extended interval, a Musique Nomade creation session in Mani-Utenam led to Mukuuin in 2022. McKenzie wrote the album and performed voice and guitar, working with guests including Beatrice Deer, Kanen, Matiu, Katia Rock, and Dan-Georges McKenzie. He also continued appearing with Vollant at special Kashtin performances, including an Innu Nikamu reunion in 2024. Current SOCAM registry data associates him with Mani-Utenam and Matimekosh, BAnQ's 2025 Kashtin feature identifies McKenzie and Vollant as Maliotenam residents, and current artist-controlled and DSP profiles confirm the matching solo identity and catalogue.