Singing her truth: Indigenous teen releases song about overcoming residential school trauma

A year after releasing a very personal song, 16-year-old singer-songwriter DeeDee Austin is following up with an equally important sequel.

DeeDee was barely a teenager when she first started writing a very powerful song, which she released last year on National Indigenous Peoples Day.

"The first 'Buried Truth' is about the residential schools and what they did to our people, and how our culture and heritage was ripped from us little Indigenous people," DeeDee said.

"My great-grandmother was a residential school survivor as most of you already know, so this is a very, very emotional and touching topic for me."

On Tuesday, DeeDee debuted a sequel, called "Buried Truth Part 2 and 3," which she says is even more uplifting.

"'Buried Truth Part 2 and 3' is more so just about finding ourselves again, coming together as one, trying to heal within another," said DeeDee.

She says, at first, she was nervous to share such personal music, but not anymore.

"I've been embracing my culture more and more as days go by," she said. "I'm getting more comfortable. I've been learning my language and speaking it a little bit."

Her new song comes exactly a year after the original.

"Because it's National Indigenous Peoples Day," said DeeDee. "It's just a very loving day, a very happy day, because it's a day where we focus on us as Indigenous people."

DeeDee marked the occasion with a special performance in Prince Edward Island Tuesday night.

"Opening up for Silver Wolf Band in Charlottetown at the Guild Theatre," she said.

As for the rest of DeeDee's summer, she says it's packed.

"I have 17 shows this summer so, I'm very busy and I just hope they keep coming."