photo by Bren Wyona

Mali Obomsawin is a performer and composer dedicated to improvised music. She is best known for her evocative singing, storytelling and bass playing in her experimental ensembles and her rock band Deerlady. She is a citizen of Abenaki Nation at Odanak.

Her music was featured in the FX series Reservation Dogs in 2023. She composed the score for the Oscar-nominated documentary Sugarcane (2025) directed by Julian Brave Noisecat and Emily Kassie, and has collaborated with musicians Raven Chacon, Esperanza Spalding, Yo-Yo Ma, Taylor Ho Bynum, and visual artist Cannupa Hanska Luger.

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