Ya Tseen

Alaskan Indigenous contemporary artist Nicholas Galanin, also known as Ya Tseen, creates a dreamy, abstract fusion of electro pop, indie rock, and hip-hop, expressing personal desires as well as addressing socio-political subjects. Previously making music as Silver Jackson and as part of the group Indian Agent, he launched the Ya Tseen project with the 2021 full-length Indian Yard, which included collaborations with Shabazz Palaces, Portugal. The Man, Nick Hakim, and several other guests. Nicholas Galanin was born in Sitka, Alaska in 1979. He is of Tlingit and Unangax̂ heritage, and his art addresses subjects such as cultural genocide, appropriation, and environmental damage, advocating Indigenous sovereignty and envisioning possibilities for a brighter and more compassionate future. Spanning sculpture, jewelry, installations, videos, and other forms, his work has been presented and exhibited in galleries throughout North America, Australia, and Europe. He began making music as Silver Jackson during the 2000s, and founded a record label and music festival called HomeSkillet. He also became associated with the multi-disciplinary art collective Black Constellation, along with members of Seattle-based groups Shabazz Palaces and THEESatisfaction. He formed the band Indian Agent, with Otis Calvin III and Zak Dylan Wass, in 2017, releasing debut album Meditations in the Key of Red the same year. He then began making music as Ya Tseen, which translates to "be alive" and is derived from his Tlingit name, Yéil Ya-Tseen. His album Indian Yard was released by Sub Pop in 2021. Recorded over the course of four years, as Galanin welcomed the birth of his third child, the album featured appearances by several friends and collaborators, including Portugal. The Man, Iska Dhaaf, Nick Hakim, and fellow Black Constellation members Shabazz Palaces and Stas THEE Boss.
© Paul Simpson /TiVo