Life has a way of dealing unlucky circumstances sometimes. As Indigenous alt-rock singer Hataałii tells in the "Story of Francisco," you can have a shimmering gleam in your eye, only to have the universe's "unholy jester" take it from you.
"Your age-old stone breaks apart somewhere/ By the child whose mother has lost her hair/ To our great defeat, limping up the stairs," Hataałii recounts in the song.
In this episode of Global Spin, Hataałii delivers a live performance of "Story of Francisco" from a desert road, paying homage to his roots in Window Rock, Arizona, the capital of the Navajo nation.
"Story of Francisco" is a track from Hataałii's latest album, Singing into Darkness, which the singer released on June 30 via Dangerbird Records. On Nov. 1, he premiered an expanded edition of the LP, which hosts three new tracks and five demos.
Singing into Darkness largely explores Hataałii's experience as a Navajo citizen, from the erasure of Indigenous culture throughout history to the unique dynamics between tourists and the residents of reservations.
Press play on the video above to watch Hataałii's scenic performance of "Story of Francisco," and check back to GRAMMY.com for more new episodes of Global Spin.