Elisapie Releases 'Qimmijuat (Wild Horses)” Rolling Stones Cover

Elisapie returns today with “Qimmijuat (Wild Horses),” an adaptation of the classic Rolling Stones ballad translated into Inuktitut.

Taken from the album Inuktitut, to be released by Bonsound on September 15th, this new single follows “Uummati Attanarsimat (Heart of Glass),” “Taimangalimaaq (Time After Time)” and “Isumagijunnaitaungituq (The Unforgiven),” which caught the attention of Rolling Stone magazine and Metallica themselves.

Similar to the original in its tenderness and intensity, “Qimmijuat (Wild Horses)” showcases Elisapie's raw, vulnerable voice, backed by her loyal collaborator Joe Grass' powerful, moving arrangements. Robbie Kuster's striking drums and Leif Vollebekk's piano melody help set this rendition apart.

The song is a tribute to a childhood friend of Elisapie who had a difficult home life due to his parent's separation and a strained relationship with his father. “Wild Horses became a source of comfort for him and his obsession with it was palpable, as if he was riding away from all his problems on the back of this song,” explains Elisapie.

The recording is accompanied by a music video directed by Philippe Léonard, using footage shot by Jean-Philippe Sansfaçon in Inukjuak and Salluit, Nunavik. Infused with great delicacy, the video showcases the people who live in these villages through various intimate tableaux and scenes of community life.

Inuktitut is Elisapie’s fourth solo album. With these 10 covers of classic rock and pop songs from the 60s to the 90s, she reinvigorates their poetry thanks to the raw sounds of the thousand-year-old Inuktitut language and gives each track a unique and deeply personal quality.

Every song from the album is linked to a loved one or an intimate story that has shaped the person Elisapie is today. Through this act of cultural reappropriation, she tells her story and offers these songs as a gift to her community, making her language and culture resonate beyond the borders of the Inuit territory.

Elisapie will be taking her new album to the stage on a 50-date tour. In addition to her regular tour, there will be five performances of Uvattini, a special live show presented exclusively at Usine C in Montréal and the Grand Théâtre de Québec. This summer, Elisapie will also travel to Kuujjuaq to premiere her new show, before heading out to Rouyn-Noranda to perform at FME. More concerts are scheduled in France in November 2023 and April 2024. Visit elisapie.com for more details.

Photo Credit: Leeor Wild