Black and white headshot of Charly Lowry, an Indigenous woman

Charly Lowry

Indigenous singer-songwriter

Charly Lowry, a musical powerhouse from Pembroke, North Carolina, is proud to be an Indigenous woman belonging to the Lumbee/Tuscarora Tribes. She is passionate about raising awareness around issues that plague underdeveloped and underserved communities. Since her teenage years, Charly has established a career as a professional singer-songwriter with unique passion and voice. In addition to performing solo, she is the frontwoman for the band Dark Water Rising.

In her community, Native women are traditionally barred from the hand drum, and will sing and/or dance behind the men’s drums instead. Charly defies that norm, following in the footsteps of her mentor Pura Fé. 

Robeson County, her home, is one of the most diverse counties in the US, and Charly celebrates that diversity in all aspects of her life. While she may be familiar to some from her success on “American Idol,” she has maintained close ties to her Native American roots and culture. It is important to her to express the struggle, sacrifice, and obstacles her people have overcome throughout history. She serves as a voice for her ancestors, as well as the youth of today, and remains committed to music that honors roots but lives vibrantly in the here and now.