The acclaimed Inuit throat singing duo PIQSIQ (pronounced “Pilk-Silk”) invites listeners into a vivid corner of Inuit mythology with their latest single, “Mahaha: Tickling Demon”. Accompanied by a groundbreaking motion-capture music video, the track serves as a centerpiece of their newest studio album, Legends. Sisters Tiffany Ayalik and Inuksuk Mackay continue to push the boundaries of contemporary soundscapes, weaving their ancient traditional form with modern technology to create haunting compositions that change with every show.
This release arrives at a career-defining moment as PIQSIQ celebrates a 2026 Juno Award nomination for Global Music Album of the Year. The winners will be revealed on stage in Hamilton on March 28 and 29th.
“Mahaha: Tickling Demon” is a masterclass in atmospheric storytelling, capturing the essence of a being that haunts the land and tickles people to death. The track pulses with the rhythmic drive of traditional Inuit drums and intricate vocal layers crafted through a Boss RC-505 Loop Station. Through their improvisational prowess, PIQSIQ translates ancestral narratives into a modern context, as seen in the album’s dedication: “To the storytellers from across Inuit Nunangat who shared these legends with us when we were kids—your voices have shaped us”.
The single represents a profound artistic evolution for the sisters, who grew up in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, with roots in Nunavut’s Kitikmeot and Kivalliq regions. After years of forging hard-won skill, they realized throat singing was not only a musical expression, but a radical, political act of cultural revitalization. By integrating contemporary technology with their deep-rooted musicality, PIQSIQ has created a “living” recording that honours their traditional stories as fundamental to Inuit identity.
The accompanying video features high-tech motion capture, casting Inuksuk’s sons, Desmond and Maccheus, as young heroes. By using traditional Inuit games to outsmart Mahaha, the visual highlights how ancestral knowledge prepares youth for survival and resilience. This blend of ancient teachings and a virtual reality format offer a fresh perspective on how the duo brings the virtual world to life through their music.
Furthermore, the immersive production process of the album, Legends, provides a fascinating look at the duo’s creative synergy. Recorded at Monarch Studios in Vancouver with producer Alex Penney, the sisters projected images of Inuit artworks in the studio and sang to what they saw and felt. This visual-to-sonic translation ensured that the “planned chaos” of their improvisation remained deeply rooted in authentic Inuit imagery.
Beyond the music, PIQSIQ is sparking an inter-regional cultural conversation. By posting about these characters on social media, they have inspired an exchange of stories reaching from Alaska to Greenland (Kalaallit Nunaat). This “ripple effect” highlights the universal power of their craft and its ability to promote storytelling cross-regionally throughout the Arctic.
As PIQSIQ prepares to take the stages across British Columbia in March and April, “Mahaha: Tickling Demon” stands as a definitive statement of their visionary path. They continue to blend magic with sound, creating a dynamic audience experience that celebrates a culture that has not just survived, but thrived.
See them live April 12 at the Chan Centre in Vancouver with Susan Aglukark.
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‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.rootsmusic.ca ’
