Discover the heartbeat of

Native American lifeways and legacy

A millennia of tradition: the drum, the voice, the dance

For over three decades, the GRAMMY® Award-winning Black Eagle Singers drum and dance group (Pueblo of Jemez) has carried forward the ancestral sounds and vibrant spirit of American Indian Country, connecting audiences to traditions that have sustained our people for generations.

Blending traditional Pueblo Indian songs with contemporary powwow styles, Black Eagle Singers create a distinctive sound that has earned recognition across the USA and beyond. From traditional powwows, ceremonial gatherings, and special events for Heads of State to international stages and cultural epicenters, listeners feel the heartbeat of the world in every strike of our drum.

A culturally authentic performance experience, Black Eagle Singers unite the raw power of the Native peoples: the drum, the voice, the dance™.

Three Indigenous people standing on red rocky terrain in front of a large red sandstone formation, with a drum on the ground nearby, and a cloudy sky overhead.
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Select List of Awards & Achievements of Note

  • Black Eagle Singers won a Grammy Award for their album Flying Free in 2004, making them the only traditional powwow group to win the Music Industry’s most prestigious honor.

  • Black Eagle Singers have been nominated 4 times for Music’s highest honor for the following albums:

    1. Life Goes On - Hand Drum and Round Dance Songs

    2. Flying Free (GRAMMY WIN)

    3. Straight Up Northern

    4. Voice of the Drum

  • The Native American Music Awards or N.A.M.A. was the first national awards program for Native American music in North America. The Awards (AKA “NAMMYs”) was born out of a need for greater recognition for Native American music initiatives and remains the largest professional membership based organization in the world.

    1. Pow Wow category (2003)

    2. Pow Wow category (2006)

  • Black Eagle Singers have a long history of association with many important museums, from archival music recording to special event appearances and high-profile performances:

    • Musical Instrument Museum - Phoenix, Arizona — Recorded Music Archive, American Indian Powwow Music

    • Opening of the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian — Headline performance for over 100,000 people

    • Museum of Indian Arts and Culture

    • Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA)

    • Lincoln Center - NYC

    • Platinum Music Award - New Mexico Governor’s Music Commission highest honor

Malcom Yepa, Founder and Leader of Black Eagle Singers
Woman wearing traditional Native American clothing, including a yellow dress, blue jewelry, and a woven belt, standing outdoors against a rocky red landscape with scattered trees on Indian reservation land.

About Black Eagle Singers

Malcom Yepa: A Legacy of Leadership

From the picturesque landscape of Walatowa (Indian Pueblo of Jemez), Malcom Yepa has made an indelible mark on indigenous music, showcasing the rich heritage of Native American peoples. As an accomplished musician — singer, drummer, and composer — Malcom's artistry spans both Pueblo and Powwow styles, blending traditional sounds with contemporary influences.

Raised in the revered traditions of his ancestors and fluent in his native Towa language, Malcom embodies the spirit of his culture. He is not only a talented musician but also a dedicated educator, sharing his knowledge and passion with younger generations. His contributions to the arts were recognized when he received the prestigious New Mexico Music Commission’s 2018 Platinum Music Award.

From Formation to Flight

1989 — while in Montana, Malcom was profoundly inspired by the Powwow style of singing and drumming. This pivotal moment led him to return to Jemez Pueblo, where he founded and directed the Black Eagle powwow drum group — later using the ensemble’s full name, Black Eagle Singers, for disambiguation with other acts.

37 years later, Malcom Yepa remains the group’s visionary leader, guiding Black Eagle Singers in exploring a style that is both innovative and deeply rooted in the traditions of his own Pueblo peoples and tribes across American Indian Country. Under his direction, Black Eagle Singers continue to earn international acclaim.

The impact of Black Eagle Singers extends beyond performance; their award-winning albums, recognized by Grammy and Native American Music Awards wins, scores of notable achievements, and the highest honors represent a significant contribution to the State of New Mexico’s music legacy and Native America. Supported by the Yepa family’s younger musical talents and core members of the group, Cassandra Yepa and her brother, Mark “Bear” Toledo, Malcom’s commitment to fostering talent within the community has resulted in the mentorship of multi-generational singers, ensuring that the songs and stories of Native American culture are preserved for future generations.

Throughout their extensive travels, the Black Eagle Singers have proudly represented Jemez Pueblo, Indian Country, and the USA, earning respect and admiration around the world. The group’s original compositions have garnered numerous accolades, a testament to Malcom Yepa’s unwavering dedication to amplifying the voice, culture, and traditions of Native American peoples.

Malcom Yepa stands as a pillar of cultural preservation and innovation, inspiring future generations to honor their heritage through the power of music.

A smiling Native American artist wearing traditional Native American clothing and jewelry, including a beaded necklace and medallion, standing outdoors in front of shrubbery and a reddish rock wall on Indian land in New Mexico.

Listen to the voice of Native America

FAQs and Facts

Expect Amazement.

Black Eagle Singers deliver a culturally authentic performance experience, uniting and amplifying the raw power of Native American peoples: the drum, the voice, and the dance. A vibrant music tapestry driven by the beat of traditional powwow drums and energetic vocals of the GRAMMY® Award-winning group fuels the athletic grace of a full troupe of Native dancers in full Indian regalia.

A full production, the Black Eagle Singers immersive concert experience fuses the sacred sonic power of American Indian traditions with cinematic-scale staging — engineered for the world's most prestigious venues: Performing Arts Centers (PACs); Schools, Universities, and Colleges of Music; Opera Houses; Music Festivals; Corporate Events; and special Heads of State events, cultural exchanges and diplomatic initiatives.

This is not a powwow brought to a theater. This is a symphonic-scale Native American concert experience built for the proscenium stage to stadium.

Inviting Black Eagle Singers to your Powwow

At the spiritual and cultural core of Black Eagle Singers resides the echoes of ancestors in the powwow drum — a dynamic mix of human heart beating, larger-than-life choral sounds…and thunder. The group is comprised of the founding Yepa family members and veteran singers from renowned Northern drum groups. Having appeared at every major powwow, including featured performances at the Gathering of Nations (the world’s largest powwow), Black Eagle Singers welcome invitations via the contact form below.

Educational Programs for K-12 Schools, Universities, and Museums

Expanding beyond the concert experience, Black Eagle Singers offer a wide range of opportunities for students and audiences to explore the lived experience and cultural contexts of Native peoples. Programs may be tailored to meet Standards Requirements, and are usually paired with a one or two-day residency that culminates with a performance at a PAC or other suitable venue — bringing a cluster of schools together so each may share the benefits of an authentic, cultural-creative experience is a cost-efficient alternative, as well.

How are Black Eagle Singers different than other Native acts?

A noted pioneer in live and recorded Native American music, Black Eagle Singers embrace, encourage, and respect their contemporaries and peers alike in the arena of Native Arts. However, the group does not put performers on a stage to dance to pre-recorded audio tracks.

Black Eagle Singers deliver a culturally authentic performance experience, uniting and amplifying the raw power of Native American peoples: the drum, the voice, the dance™. While their performing configuration is scalable to intimate venues, the full production incorporates cinematic-scale staging designed and engineered for the proscenium stage.

Media-ready for Interviews

Journalists with credentials, bloggers, and other media reps may request interviews via the contact form below. The group’s principal members are media-ready for televised broadcast and podcast appearances.

Booking Black Eagle Singers for a Special Event, Festival, or something else

Contact Black Eagle Singers via the website form below. If you are a Talent Buyer, please note that in your email, so the group can best respond to your specific needs.

Using Black Eagle Singers music in film, promotion, or Indie project

A GRAMMY® Award-winning group, Black Eagle Singers music is available for licensing for Major Motion Picture, TV, Advertising, Indie Film / Documentaries, and other uses. Make your request for licensing via the form below.

Booking Black Eagle for Studio Recording Sessions

As GRAMMY® Award-winners, Black Eagle Singers is certainly no stranger to recording studios across the United States, and welcomes session work in Nashville, Los Angeles, Albuquerque, and beyond. Use the contact form to make your request for avails and provide details about your project.

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Interested in doing positive work together? Fill out some info and we will be in touch within 24 hours. We can’t wait to hear from you!