Winner of the first episode of CTV’s The Launch, Logan Staats, is visiting London this weekend. Staats performed at Fanshawe’s campus pub, The Out Back Shack on Thursday. And it was not Staats’ first time on this stage. He performed here years ago with an old band that he used to be in. He remembered back to that moment in his performance on Thursday night.
Staats is from Six Nations of the Grand River Territory. And he incorporates his heritage into his song writing. He opened his performance saying he was going to tell some stories, and his soulful performance delivered just that. Staats says something he has always loved was stories around the fire with his ancestors.
“Music was just a different way to kinda project those stories. You know, in a different way for me to kinda connect with what was going on culturally. And things that inspired me culturally. Like story telling, singing, it was just a way for me to combine to those ancient teachings and do what I love to do,” said Staats.
@LoganStaats is telling some stories through his songs tonight at the The Out Back Shack. #LdnOnt #FanshaweCollege pic.twitter.com/aWyg2tp5DO
— Veronica Pellerin (@veronicapnews) November 16, 2018
For Staats empowering Indigenous youth is important. He often visits different schools and says that his story may not resonate with every single kid, but that there is always one or two that take something away from what he’s sharing.
“Being in front of the nation on the show. Now I am able to kind of go into different schools and different reservations and tell these kids and youth, you know we can make it. We can be successful. We can not only be part of the mainstream industry but take it by storm,” said Staats.
Someone who made Staats feel empowered is Buffy Sainte-Marie. He opened for her a few years ago, and will be opening for her again this weekend. Staats says he’s glad that he can come full circle and perform with her on a new level.
“She’s one of the most beautiful people I’ve ever met. I remember the first time I opened for her, sticking around and listening to her play and listening to her speak. It really made me feel powerful,” said Staats.
Staats opens for Buffy Sainte-Marie on Sunday and Monday night at the Aeolian Theatre.
