Cactus Rose NYC

Influenced by Buffalo Springfield and indigenous artists Richie Havens, Cherokee folk singer Karen Dalton, Kiowa Apache Mary McCaslin/Mary Noel Singing Bear, and Buddy Red Bow, Cactus Rose NYC’s music focuses on experiences of urban natives and the breadth of Indian Country. Kandia’s songs also mine her unique experiences growing up between various countries in Africa and Attan-Akamik (Washington DC & Virginia) to forge her compelling style of Americana that draws on southeastern indigenous elements, Appalachian folk, and Laurel Canyon sounds.

In 2022, Kandia served as a judge of Hamburg, Germany’s Reeperbahn Festival on their ANCHOR Award Board. She performed at Lincoln Center’s David Geffen Hall in July 2023 as part of the Songs of the Living Choir in the Afrofuturist opera “Parable of the Sower” written by Bernice Johnson Reagon (Sweet Honey in the Rock) & Toshi Reagon. In December 2023, Kandia received the Color Me Country grant from Newport Festivals Foundation. On May 3rd 2024, Cactus Rose NYC headlined the Oberlin Folk Festival in Oberlin, Ohio & they performed again at the (10th annual) Brooklyn Americana Music Festival in September 2024. In October 2024, they performed at the Indigenous Day of Remembrance+Resistance and at the 3rd annual National Indigenous Peoples of the Americas Parade. They released their first EP – Live From Lenapehoking: Field Recordings – in August 2024. In March 2026, Cactus Rose NYC performed at FWAAMFest in Fort Worth, Texas.

Kandia was asked to join the Native American Music Awards Advisory Board in voting for the 2025 NAMMYs. She is also a voting member for the annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees and the Americana Music Association Honours. As of September 2025, Kandia serves on the Board of Directors of Indigenous In Music & Arts headquartered in Florida. She made her modeling debut at the inaugural Indigenous New York Fashion Week in Manhattan founded by Relative Arts NYC. Kandia now serves as a model represented by the US’s largest indigenous casting agency Bear Robe & the International Indigenous Fashion Council-Model Sector.

Cactus Rose NYC’s music has been in rotation on indigenous radio programs including Indigenous In Music With Larry K, NativeRadio.com’s Stream 6 (Contemporary native American music), Moccasin Tracks, Decolonize Your Playlist w/ Josh L on Uncertain.FM & Tunes From Turtle Island (Europe). And Kandia has appeared on Rissi Palmer’s Color Me Country show on Apple Radio, PlayMyMusic podcast, Country Soul Songbook Summit, Jack Dappa Blues Radio, LIFT OFF w/ Veronica Cross podcast, & gotten coverage from Rolling Out, SAY magazine, Rolling Stone, Canvas Rebel, No Fences Review & Rockcritics.com.

Kandia Crazy Horse solo or Cactus Rose NYC has shared stages with myriad artists including Dan Zanes, Morgan O’Kane, Jake Blount, Sunny War, Olivia Ellen Lloyd, Alex Battles, Paisley Fields, Emily Johnson-Erday, Matt Basile, Hurray For the Riff Raff, Stephanie Marie Hall, Ebony Hillbillies, and opened some dates through the Northeast of Valerie June’s “Owls Omens & Oracles” Tour in May 2025 starting at Town Hall in Manhattan. Praised for their fluency with varied Americana and cosmic country traditions, Cactus Rose NYC’s music unifies the ancient with indigenous futures.