STAR NAYEA
ROCK - SOUL - R&B - BLUES
“A Sundance affair not too soon forgotten” – Robert Redford
Sundance Film Festival
Guest Vocalist
"Contract from the Underworld of Redboy"
GRAMMY Nominated Recording Artist
Juno Award Winning Album
– by Robbie Robertson / Capital Records
Featured Vocalist
PBS Special: Music From A Painted Cave
A Benchmark in Native American Expression
"LIVE" at the Fillmore with Testament
No stranger to today's entertainment industry Star Nayea grew up in Detroit City engulfed by the Motor City's Rock 'n' Roll and Motown sounds. Those sounds helped shape the young teenager and gave her roots in ROCK - SOUL - R&B and of course BLUES, the way our forefathers of Blues and Rock intended them to be.
In 2001, "Somewhere in a Dream”, the highly anticipated and acclaimed debut by Native artist Star Nayea took home the award for “Best Independent Recording” at the 4th Annual Native American Music Awards. The five-song EP received rave reviews across Indian Country as well as Canada. “Somewhere” was placed into rotation on a variety of Triple-A radio stations in the Southwest. Three of the five singles, Down to Love, Fly and If I Want To, topped the charts at #1 for three consecutive weeks. Baby Blue and the title track “Somewhere in a Dream” stayed in the TOP 5 and TOP 10 on radio stations respectively. The heavy airplay of these songs (per listener requests) knocked music by other artist’s off the charts including Brittany Spears, Christina Aguilara, Pink and Melissa Etheridge before being pulled.
1997 - Featured Artist - Making a Noise in this World and Unity Song
1998 – Honorary Member - Wild Band of Indians w/Keith Secola
1998 - Two Tear Tour - U.S. & Canada
1999 – Sundance Film Festival - with Derek Miller and Keith Secola
1999 - Year Tour – with Two Time GRAMMY award winner Robert Mirabal
2001 - Featured performance - with Robbie Robertson & Rita Coolidge
2001: Guest Vocalist - Nationwide release "Music From a Painted Cave"
2000 - NEW ORLEANS JAZZ FESTIVAL - Main Stage
2001 - Solo Debut Album - "Somewhere in a Dream " released
2001 - Winner - Best Independent Recording - "Somewhere In A Dream"
2002 - Winter Olympics - International introduction
2002 - Featured Interview – Canadian Television
2002 - Featured Performance - Dan Akroyd’s House of Blues, LA
2002 - Opening Act - Legendary 80's Super Group STYX
2003 – Featured - 64th Annual American Indian Film Festival
2003 – VIP Party - First Americans in the Arts Awards
2003 - Featured - New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival
2003 – Celebration of Diversity Awards - Only performance artist
2006 - Grammy Recording Artist with Robbie Robertson
2006 – Nominated - Best Compilation Album - Sacred Ground
2008 – Winner - Songwriter of the Year - Silenced My Tongue Album
2008 – Winner - Best Blues Recording - Grass Dance Man
2008 – Winner - Mainstream Song of the Year - Into the Depths
2016 - Opening Act - Sammy Hagar
2016 - Opening Act - Aaron Neviille
On Broadway, Star Nayea received rave reviews as one of the lead vocalists in the all Native Broadway style production "TRIBE" at the Ordway Theater in St. Paul, Minnesota. The production received a three week debut and Nayea was invited by Canadian Playwright Thompson Highway to perform in his highly acclaimed Broadway fashioned play "ROSE", along side Jani Lazon and other widely known Canadian artists. Star Nayea has worked with and shared the stage with Robbie Robertson, Rita Coolidge, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Ulali, Bill Miller, Indigenous, Joanne Shenandoah, Chuck Billy (Testament), Gary Farmer, Keith Secola, Robert Mirabal, Aaron Neville, Willie Nelson among others. Some of her opening credits include STYX , Poison, Cinderella, Sammy Hagar, and Jefferson Starship to name a few. While living in New York, Star had the pleasure of a few jam sessions with Todd Wolf (former Guitarist for Sheryl Crow).
As an infant Star Nayea was taken away from her Native American family, as part of the 1950’s-70’s baby sweep perpetrated by the United States and Canada. She grew up in an abusive adoptive household finding comfort in the surround by the Rock 'n Roll, Motown and Blues influences of Detroit City. Those early musical escapes and influences served her well into becoming a multi-award winning artist, mother and founder of Raven's Last Laugh Productions where as a business woman she serves as President/CEO and booking agent.
Raven's Last laugh focuses as an extremely effective source for productive outreach wellness through the arts. The company specifically targets at risk Native American youth, teens and young adults throughout the U.S. and Canada. The company aids in helping victims of drug & alcohol abuse, domestic violence, physical, spiritual, sexual and mental abuse and their prevention. Raven's Last Laugh also creates film and music videoes to utilize as therapy for victims of trauma. Through Raven's Last laugh and other outlets Nayea continues to search for her birth parents, hoping to one day be reunited with her Native American family.