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Performing since the early 80’s in a variety of bands and musical ensembles – from punk to art rock, alternative, blues, folk-roots, world music and choral ensembles Cheryl has performed locally, nationally and internationally. Her various artistic activities have also had her creating and presenting in the national artist-run gallery networks as well as new media labs/centres, community organizations, educational institutions (from grade schools to universities), the women’s prison system and First Nations bands.

Besides her long awaited solo project, Cheryl L’Hirondelle is also a member of M’Girl [pronounced ma-girl]. To date, the group has won the 2006 Best Female Traditional Album Award and the 2007 Best Group Award from the Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards. Since 1995 she has also written, arranged and performed songs as the duo Nikamok (with Joseph Naytowhow), playing northern plains hybrid, social and ceremonial drum & rattle songs for audiences and gatherings all over North America. The duo’s first self-titled CD (produced by Cheryl) was nominated for a Prairie Music Award (now WCMA’s) for Outstanding Aboriginal Recording in 2001.

L’Hirondelle’s performance art work is much written about and featured in Caught in the Act: An Anthology of Performance Art by Canadian Women (2001). Her 2001 performative activity and corresponding website cistêmaw iyiniw ohci (for the tobacco being) are also discussed in Making a Noise: Aboriginal Perspectives on Art, Art History, Critical Writing and Community (2006). In 2004, L’Hirondelle was the first Aboriginal artist from Canada to be invited to present work at DAK’ART Lab, as part of the 6th Edition of the Dakar Biennale for Contemporary African Art, Dakar, Senegal. In both 2005 and 2006, L’Hirondelle was the recipient of the imagineNATIVE New Media Award for her online net.art projects: treatycard, 17:TELL and wêpinâsowina.

Cheryl is from a well-known family of Aboriginal/Metis musicians and dancers from the Edmonton and northern Alberta area. Besides singing harmonies or beating out an accompaniment to her aunties' and uncles' music at family get-togethers, her early musical years were spent in Calgary studying piano, voice, theory and composition; attending master classes and singing in school choirs. She has also participated voice intensives led by David Smukler and Richard Armstrong.