Charles Hughes Interviews Renegade Country Icon Kandia Crazy Horse

Kandia Crazy Horse is an indigenous (Pamunkey) and black singer-songwriter and activist based in Lenapehoking (NYC). Since the release of her critically acclaimed debut Stampede, she has graced stages with her duo CACTUS ROSE including performing at the Brooklyn Americana festival, the Another Country festival, the Grand Ole Echo @ SXSW and beyond. She has organized and performed at benefits for Indian Country. She expresses an authentic and rich sonic vision of Affrilachian and indigenous styles of the southeast and Californian Laurel Canyon sounds. Kandia has been covered by publications including MOJO, the Village Voice, Acoustic Guitar, Jambands.com, Harp/Blurt, Creative Loafing, Rolling Stone, and been interviewed while appearing live several times on WFMU. 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. She is currently fundraising to record a new album in 2024. Praised for her fluency with varied Americana and cosmic country traditions, Kandia’s music unifies the ancient with indigenous futures.