Indigenous artist brings song about residential schools to Royal Nova Scotia International Tattoo

DeeDee Austin plans to bring the heat to the Royal Nova Scotia International Tattoo this weekend.

“I have three pyrotechnics on hand for me and then I have a four-person stage crew to make sure that everything is spaced away,” Austin told CTV News Atlantic’s Katie Kelly on Wednesday.

The 18-year-old singer is performing her original song, “Buried Truth,” at the Tattoo in Halifax.

“I wrote it about the residential school and the inspiration came to me when I first found out that my great-grandmother attended the Indian residential school in Shubenacadie,” she said.

Austin’s music video for the song features a piano engulfed in flames, an effect she looks to recreate at the Tattoo.

“To have the opportunity to play ‘Buried Truth’ and tell my story and then to have pieces in the performance that represent the powerfulness of the song and the emotions that all of Indigenous people feel about the residential schools…it’s just so special and I’m just honoured and immensely thankful to be here,” she said.

Austin performed the show for more than 3,000 students as part of a warm-up gig on Wednesday.

“I hope that, you know, the story that they heard today in the song, I hope that they kind of learn from it because I’d like to use ‘Buried Truth’ as an educational tool as well.”

The Tattoo runs from Friday to Monday.

For more Nova Scotia news visit our dedicated provincial page.