Corey Payette

Corey Payette is an award-winning interdisciplinary storyteller, writer, composer, and director whose work challenges conventional narratives by infusing Indigenous perspectives into mainstream music, theatre, and film. A member of the Mattagami First Nations with French Canadian and Irish ancestry, Payette’s large-scale musical creations — Children of God, Les Filles du Roi, Sedna, and Starwalker — have been shared extensively across Canada and around the world, igniting conversations about resilience, cultural healing, and reconciliation. His deeply collaborative process has earned him multiple awards, including the inaugural BC Reconciliation Award and the John Hirsch Prize for Directing. Known for his emotionally powerful and socially transformative storytelling, Payette’s work has been performed around the world, including a debut at Carnegie Hall in 2023. Through his artistic vision, Payette continues to shine a light on stories that have been unheard for generations, inspiring social change.