shilohMFA

shilohMFA (they/them) is a Lakota musician, interdisciplinary artist, and genre-defying songwriter based in Phoenix, Arizona, blending folk, punk, indie, Americana, and alternative rock into what they call "original comfort music for the Sad Bastard within." Rooted in Lakota ceremonial music and shaped by the DIY punk scene of Pierre, South Dakota, their sound draws from Motown, hip hop, classical, and musical theater — landing somewhere between The Violent Femmes, Hole, and Tracy Bonham. Raw, confrontational, melodic, and deeply emotionally resonant, shilohMFA crafts songs that feel both timeless and unpredictable.

After fronting Phoenix art-punk project Ashley (2012–2018), shilohMFA emerged as a solo artist in 2018 with more than two decades of writing and performing behind them. They have since built a reputation for magnetic, unconventional live shows in spaces ranging from bars and basements to universities across the U.S. In 2022, they received a Native American Music Award nomination for "Suspension," from their Mojave Desert-recorded acoustic album Snapshot, an intimate, stripped-down collection that captures the reflective core of their songwriting.

At the heart of shilohMFA's work is a belief in music as a liberating force that connects them to their ancestors, their community, and a broader vision of human potential. Their performances balance vulnerability, wit, satire, and bold self-expression, challenging listeners to confront emotion, question norms, and imagine lives beyond limitation. Currently based in Phoenix and actively developing new material, shilohMFA is a singular, soul-changing voice in Indigenous and independent music.