Sierra Spirit – Lift A Finger
Sierra Spirit, the solo project of Native American artist Sierra Spirit Kihega, returns with a new single, “Lift A Finger,” via Giant Music.
There are some emotions that instantly feel much deeper than the self, the sort of dizzying sensations that remind us just how tightly woven the web of humanity can be. Sierra Spirit not only knew she was tapping into that intensity when writing her “Lift a Finger”, but relied on the storytelling tradition of her Native American heritage to do so. “That oral history is such a huge part of Indigenous culture, and I wanted to paint the picture in as much detail as I can,” she explains. “Everybody has experience with those moments where people become very sharp-tongued when a relationship crumbles, when love becomes leverage. The people that tell you they love you can hurt you the most, and I wanted to make sure I was speaking honestly about that.”
The resulting track rides a folk rock soar in the vein of Phoebe Bridgers or Big Thief, while in the background a blend of synths, wordless vocals, and guitar transform into a haunted chorus. “You don’t have to lift a finger/ To hit me where it hurts/ You don’t have to raise a hand just/ Keep me waiting on those words,” she sighs, the pain ringing out between the curls of lap steel guitar and bass drum thump. But as the track rushes headlong to its conclusion, Sierra Spirit finds strength through it all—even acknowledging the power that this person held alleviating it in some way. “I wrote about my past in my last EP, and it was healing to leave some of that behind,” she says. “Now I have the freedom to physically challenge myself to start over.
Hailing from Tulsa, Oklahoma – the home of both her tribes, Otoe-Missouria and Keetoowah Cherokee – Sierra Spirit introduced herself earlier this year with her debut EP coin toss. It established her as a powerful new voice in indie rock, drawing on influences like Phoebe Bridgers, Julien Baker, The Japanese House, and Ethel Cain to shape a twangy, guitar-driven sound that is both intimate, expansive, and all her own.
Storytelling has always been central to Spirit’s life. As a child, she spent countless hours driving with her grandmother to visit family on the reservation. A black coffee in one hand and the steering wheel in the other, her grandmother passed down ancestral stories and everyday lessons alike, showing Spirit how to find meaning in the details of ordinary life. That inheritance runs through coin toss, which channels Spirit’s lived experience and cultural heritage into unflinching songs about loss, addiction, and mental health.
Before signing with Giant Music, Sierra Spirit had already been earning critical acclaim and a growing fanbase with the self-release of her first two singles “ghost” and “televangelic,” both of which appear on coin toss. The songs caught the attention of the Songwriters Hall of Fame who awarded her a BMI Abe Olman Scholarship which is given in the interest of encouraging and supporting the careers of young songwriters.
Now based in New York City, Spirit continues to ground her music in the red dirt of Oklahoma and the storytelling traditions of her community. With lyrics that balance vulnerability and resilience, she has crafted a voice that is deeply personal yet reflective of something larger. Following a successful debut at SXSW and her first U.S. tour earlier this year, Spirit is carrying that momentum into her next chapter – one that honors where she comes from while carving a clear path forward.
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