Singer and stage actress Shakura S’Aida has a solid 25-year career. Born in Brooklyn and raised in Switzerland, she soon moved to Toronto, where she has spent much of her artistic career. Prior to her solo career, S’Aida was the lead vocalist for the world music group Kaleefah. She has also toured as a backing vocalist with artists such as Rita MacNeil, Patti LaNelle, Jimmy Smith and Ruth Brown.

In 2008 she released her first solo album, “Blueprint”, independently. That same year, her career was boosted with a great performance at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, where she was runner-up, competing against more than 100 bands from over twenty different countries.

In 2010 she presented her second album, “Brown Sugar”, and in 2012 she released the double CD, “Time”. Shakura S’Aida arrives with her new album “Hold on to Love”, which is reminiscent of Mavis Staples, and features collaborations with artists such as Eric Gales, Lee Oskar, Terra Lightfoot, Kyla Charter and Larnell Lewis, among others. This work is nominated for the Juno Awards 2023 in the category of Best Contemporary Roots Album.

As well as boasting a solid career with a string of prestigious international nominations and awards, Shakura S’Aida is a strong advocate for human rights. “I see, create and use music as a way to bring people together,” she says. With a hypnotic aura that immediately connects with the audience, her live performance, in which she combines blues and soul, is one of the festival´s great attractions