Inspired by Juana Maria, known as “The Lone Woman of San Nicolas Island”.

Juana Maria was the last surviving member of the Nicoleño people, left behind on San Nicolas Island off the coast of California in 1835. For nearly two decades she lived alone, weaving baskets from reeds, building shelters from whale bones, and surviving on fish and roots.

When she was finally found in 1853, she was brought to Santa Barbara - but lived only seven weeks before passing away. Because no one spoke her language, her memories, songs, and stories were lost with her.

“Feather and Bone” is a ritual song of fragility and resilience. It weaves breath, memory, and ancestral echoes into a chant where the body becomes both weightless feather and enduring bone. A journey through loss and renewal, it honors the hidden strength within vulnerability, carrying listeners into a space of healing and remembrance.

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[Verse 1]  
A ship pulled away from the salt-stained shore,  
She dove through the waves, heart heavy and sore.  
A shadow left behind, a name on the wind,  
She turned from the world, and the world turned again.  

[Verse 2]  
Eighteen winters, eighteen springs,  
She wove her life from forgotten things.  
A dress of feathers, a house of bone,  
She sang to the sea, and slept alone.  

[Chorus]  
She was not broken, she was not gone,  
She danced with the gulls and the ocean’s song.  
No one to hear her, no one to know,  
But the stars and the tide and the cormorant’s glow.  
She lived, she endured, she became her own —  
The woman of feather, the queen of bone.  

[Verse 3]  
The wind wrote her name in the dunes each night,  
The moon kept her secrets in silver light.  
She spoke in a tongue the world let die,  
But her silence was louder than any cry.  

[Bridge]  
They came with their boots and their foreign tongue,  
Found her alive, but her song unsung.  
Took her away from the salt and the stone,  
And seven weeks later, she died alone.  

[Chorus]  
She was not broken, she was not gone,  
She danced with the gulls and the ocean’s song.  
No one to hear her, no one to know,  
But the stars and the tide and the cormorant’s glow.  
She lived, she endured, she became her own —  
The woman of feather, the queen of bone.  

[Final Chorus ]  
She was not broken, she was not gone,  
She danced with the gulls and the ocean’s song.  
No one to hear her, no one to know,  
But the stars and the tide and the cormorant’s glow.  
She lived, she endured, she became her own —  
The woman of feather, the queen of bone

Feather and Bone

Welcome — I’m so glad you’re here.

I’m Yariksha, a singer and poet from Montréal, Canada, crafting songs that blend ritual, emotion, and sonic exploration. My lyrics are entirely my own creations, and many are deeply autobiographical — born from lived experience, transformation, and love.

I compose using a blend of intuition, AI collaboration, and digital tools, shaping each piece with care, emotion, and intention. My music spans folk ballads, ambient textures, intimate jazz, cathartic rock, and more — always guided by the story I want to tell.

I sing in Mhàraé (a language I created), as well as French, English, and Gaelic, weaving together cultures and emotions in sound.

I’m also passionate about musical anthropology — I research ancient cultures, histories, and musical traditions, from the Celts to Mesopotamians to Egyptians, and so on. These influences subtly infuse my creations, adding depth and resonance to the sonic landscapes I explore.

If something here resonates with you, feel free to follow, share, or write to me. I’d love to hear what you feel.

Thank you for listening.