05/30/2026
Former U.S. Poet Laureate Joy Harjo, a citizen of the Mvskoke (Muscogee Creek) Nation, has released a new album titled Insomnia and Seven Steps to Grace through Smithsonian Folkways Recordings.
The project was musically produced by five-time Grammy Award-winning jazz artist esperanza spalding and blends Harjo’s spoken-word poetry with layered jazz, emotion, and Indigenous storytelling.
The collaboration between the two artists began years earlier through the Ford Foundation Fellows program and eventually evolved into a full musical project shaped around reflection, healing, and the times we are living in today.
Harjo made history in 2019 as the first Native American U.S. Poet Laureate and later became only the second person ever to serve three terms in the role.
While internationally recognized for her poetry and writing, Harjo has also spent decades as a musician and performer, playing instruments including saxophone and flute. The new release marks her eighth studio album.
The album has already been featured by NPR and Native America Calling as a major spotlight on contemporary Indigenous music and storytelling.
Many listeners praised the release as a powerful example of Indigenous artistry continuing to evolve across poetry, music, and culture.
Do you think Indigenous artists are finally receiving more recognition in mainstream music and literature?
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Sources:
• Smithsonian Folkways Recordings
• Joy Harjo Official Website
• NPR — Here & Now
• Native America Calling
