Northern Dial Artist Profile

Mattmac

Garden Hill First Nation, Manitoba, Canada

Mattmac, born Matthew Monias, is an Oji-Cree singer, rapper and producer from Garden Hill First Nation in northern Manitoba. Blind from birth, he grew up surrounded by music, sang in his community gospel choir and taught himself beat-making, piano and guitar. His first major public step came through the N’we Jinan mobile studio program, which visited Garden Hill in 2016 and helped him record "Help You See," a song built from his own experience and community perspective.

His 2020 debut project 20/20 pushed that story into a broader national audience. The single "Paradise" reached No. 1 on the Indigenous Music Countdown, and Mattmac’s combination of melodic hooks, hip-hop production and autobiographical writing brought him media attention across Canada. He later won Rap/Electronic Album of the Year at the 2021 Summer Solstice Indigenous Music Awards and continued expanding his catalogue with collaborations, including work connected to artists such as Nelly Furtado and Drezus.

Mattmac’s significance extends beyond an inspirational narrative. He is part of a generation of Indigenous artists using contemporary pop, rap and production tools without separating those sounds from community, place or identity. His career also broadens assumptions about who gets to be a producer and recording artist, making his presence in Northern Dial’s catalogue important both musically and culturally.