Original Peoples, Original Sound: Nagamo Revolutionizes Indigenous Music Licensing with Integrity and Impact

Developed by composer and creative director Nigel Irwin, Nagamo aims to rewrite the rules of music licensing. The production music library serves as a powerful alternative to the long history of misrepresenting Indigenous cultures through generic, inauthentic soundtracks.

Offering licensing services for film, television, advertising, podcasts, and more, Nagamo exists to address the widespread use of "Native-sounding" music in media that, more often than not, was neither created by nor consulted with Indigenous people. It serves as a growing catalog of production-ready music created exclusively by Indigenous composers from across Turtle Island and beyond, focusing on authenticity, ethics, and cultural respect.

Tracks blend traditional Indigenous instrumentation and vocal techniques with contemporary genres of electronic, orchestral, jazz, ambient, pop, and more, creating a culturally grounded soundscape that resists stereotyping.

However, the company is careful to draw a firm boundary; no ceremonial or sacred songs are included. Instead, Nagamo celebrates cultural nuance through what it calls "intertribal remixes," where Indigenous artists from various nations collaborate or reinterpret each other's musical traditions, producing modern, respectful, and regionally authentic work.

Nagamo stands out because its ethical licensing model is at the core of its operations. Every piece of music in the library is sourced and recorded in professional studio settings with full transparency and with the artists' informed consent. All contributors, whether throat singers, powwow groups, or instrumentalists, are made aware of how their recordings may be remixed and used.

It's worth highlighting that Nagamo's licensing practices are also guided by a strict community-focused mandate. Tracks cannot be used in projects that harm Indigenous communities. "We turned down licensing opportunities in the past to maintain this integrity. For us, empowerment means creating opportunity but never pressure. Artists are invited to participate, not coerced," Irwin remarks.

This distinction illustrates Nagamo's broader commitment to cultural agency, where the emphasis lies on self-determination. Opportunities are extended to both established and emerging artists, with the company actively running workshops and education programs to nurture the next generation of Indigenous composers. "This is how we teach Indigenous musicians to shift from thinking like performers or producers to thinking like composers, specifically how to score music to picture and support storytelling through sound," Irwin explains.

Besides the pre-cleared music library, Nagamo offers bespoke services, including custom music composition and cultural consultation. "Production teams can come to us for original scoring. We help make sure that their projects feature music that not only sounds Indigenous but is Indigenous contextually and creatively," Irwin states.

Many creators hesitate to use Indigenous music out of fear of misrepresentation or causing offense. Nagamo helps guide clients through those concerns, offering cultural insight and assurance that the music is used respectfully and appropriately.

The impact of Nagamo's approach has been felt within the industry and among Indigenous artists. One composer said, "Nagamo is a much-needed gathering point for Indigenous composers to showcase their craft, create new opportunities, and find new ways of collaboration in today's media landscape. There is a huge demand within the creative community for new, Indigenous music that helps to tell a story."

On the client side, production companies and broadcasters have embraced Nagamo's offerings as a much-needed resource. A supervisor of a copyright licensing and research company shared: "Demand for the Nagamo catalog continues to grow, with requests for access from our producers. We're excited to embark on another three-year deal with Nagamo and look forward to hearing new tracks on the platform."

Nagamo's ambitions are global. The company has already begun forging relationships beyond Canada, with early collaborations in the United States, Aotearoa (New Zealand), and Australia. Irwin is already working toward building an international network of Indigenous composers. The vision is to create a cross-continental soundscape that celebrates the unique identity of Indigenous peoples worldwide while creating new avenues for collaboration and cultural exchange.

Nagamo believes that Indigenous sound and music, whether the playfulness of Inuit throat singing or the powerful heartbeat of the powwow drum, can thrive in modern media if placed and produced with care. As it expands its international footprint, the company remains committed to ethical sourcing, community empowerment, and creative authenticity.