Alaskan-born Nicholas Galanin is a world-renowned artist and owns a recording studio to die for. But he only has one microphone in it, as he was duped by Carrie Fisher’s brother. Welcome to the wonderful world of Ya Tseen

 > 15 questions with / ya tseen

Photo: Fernando Decillis

Nicholas Galanin is an indigenous Alaskan, also known as Tlingit and Unangax, and a contemporary artist who channels many of his beliefs through both art and music. As well as taking part in direct actions like the excavation of the shadow of the statue of Captain James Cook in Australia – in a call for the burial of such monuments – he has also produced pieces like Land Swipe, a deer hide painted with the NYC subway map, noting the sites of police violence against black youths (and called “one of the most important art moments in 2020” by The New York Times). As Ya Tseen (meaning “be alive” and from his Tlingit name Yeil Ya Tseen) he released Indian Yard last month (on Sub Pop). It “explores love, desire, frustration, pain, revolution, and connection” across 11 varied “no genre” tracks, and all produced with a huge range of synths – just you wait – and software…

1  How did you get into music?

YT: “My father is an artist and musician, and was a DJ for the local radio station. His love for music has been handed down to my brothers and I as if it were a necessity. By 13, I had my first guitar and around the age of 18 I realised I wanted to understand more about the process of making music. I performed my first open mic in London while studying at London Guildhall University. Music was and continues to still be everything: connection to the world and internal reflection, dreams of new futures and stories of the past, a way to bring the community together, a tool for sharing and seeing the world… So much unknown alchemy in the process of collaboration with music; still brings wonder and infinite possibility!”