The SOCAN Foundation has named Micheal J. Peterson (sic) the recipient of the 2025 TD Indigenous Songwriter Award. The $10,000 prize, now in its fifth year, is presented in partnership with TD Bank Group through the TD Ready Commitment. It was created to recognize and celebrate outstanding Indigenous music creators in Canada.
Peterson is an Ojibway musician from Treaty 6 territory (London, ON) who currently lives and works in Vancouver, BC. He leads the musical project CHAIN and is a member of Indian Giver, a Toronto-based Indigenous hardcore band. Alongside his music, he works as a Registered Clinical Counsellor at an addiction treatment centre.
From 2010 to 2015, Peterson was the primary songwriter and guitarist for the JUNO-nominated band Single Mothers. During that time, he performed at major international festivals like SXSW (Austin), Riot Fest Toronto, Pitchfork Festival (Chicago), Sound and Fury (Los Angeles), Primavera Sound (Barcelona), and Sound City (Liverpool), and shared stages with artists like Dinosaur Jr., Iggy Pop, The Replacements, and Title Fight. He’s also toured with Hamilton’s The Dirty Nil on national and international runs alongside Billy Talent, Alexisonfire, and Monster Truck.
“I am extraordinarily grateful to SOCAN and the jury members for this recognition and award,” said Peterson. “Though I’ve played in bands since I was a teenager, stepping out on my own as an artist and musician has been an intimidating process. My music is an attempt to reconcile different aspects of my identity that sometimes contradict each other. Specifically, it’s a personal exploration of Indigenous identity against the backdrop of my suburban upbringing in London, Ontario. The purpose of colonialism is alienating you from your culture and the effect of modern Canadian society is alienation from your neighbour. I try to write about how that feels — the placelessness and resentment. I hope to contribute to Indigenous representation in alternative rock. Chi miigwetch.”
CHAIN’s just-released EP, 1565, is a four-song collection that reflects on heartbreak, disillusionment, and hope. It captures the tension of moving through a world that often feels rigged, while holding out for understanding and redemption. The songs trace a path through frustration, faith, and the need to be seen for who we truly are.
The 2025 jury featured acclaimed artists Charlotte Qamaniq, Sister Ray, and Zoon, who selected Peterson for his unique songwriting voice and contribution to Indigenous perspectives in alternative music.
SOCAN Foundation extends its thanks to TD Bank Group for its ongoing support of the TD Indigenous Songwriter Award and its commitment to uplifting Indigenous music creators through the TD Ready Commitment.