PRESENTED BY
Performers
Born Wesley Louissaint in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, he has grown into his role as a prolific songwriter, guitarist and producer. Uniting a large cross-section of Montreal talent, his music links Haitian voudou and rara with roots, Afrobeat, and hip-hip. Guest spots on his albums include the likes of Tiken Jah Fakoly, Paul Cargnello and Malika Tirolien. He has toured under the Globalfest banner with the Caribbean All-Stars.
Zaki Ibrahim
Described as “a retro-Afrofuturist vision sending listeners on a journey through 40 years of electronic music” (Nuvo), Ibrahim’s music brings elements of spoken word, hip hop, soul, house and 70s pop together, filtered through the prismatic and often contradictory lenses of personal, historical and scientific relativities. Even the concept of diaspora seems to fall short of capturing the vivid vibrational multitudes of Ibrahim’s scope.
Born Bulelwa Mtukukana and best known by her stage name ZAHARA. She's a singer and songwriter. She started singing in her school choir when she was only six year old. On May 2012, at the annual South African Music Awards, Zahara won 8 Awards including "Best Female and Album of the Year.
Zahara is a Multi-Platinum Winning musician. She signed history making residency deal with hotel and Casino, Emperor's Palace. The start is the first South African musician achieve this massive deal which will see her perform at the Company's various hotel locally and across the world.
ounder of the African Friendship Society, Jacky Essombe –aka Jacky Yenga– is a performer, TEDx speaker and best-selling author, and a messenger for the healing wisdom of African villages. She teaches how to use the power of community to heal and access joy through rhythm, movement and connection. Kocassalé Dioubaté (Guinea/Senegal), Aly Traoré (Guinea) and N’nato Camara (Guinea) are joining Jaky in this hear-pounding performance that showcases traditional rhythms, songs and dances from West and Central Africa. Join the Village and experience a deep sense of belonging, shared joy, unity, and friendship.
V-love is a local Liberian born, Canadian based Afrobeats artist. Born Vincent Vorkpor, V-love started singing at the age of six, but officially started focusing on music as a career from 2017 till now. Since then he hasn’t stopped singing and performing. V-love have released one album titled (Mr Lover) with couples of music videos. V-love is currently working on his second album, which will be released later this year.
Our musical spice is exotic and inspiring. We have been together since 2013 and we keep growing, with 25 official members. We consider ourselves a family, a community united in our love for sharing Afrobeat music, African culture and celebrating the vast and diverse human landscape of Canada and Africa. We are multicultural, multiethnic and everyone is welcome. Our purpose for the band and organization is to come together in community, share African culture and spread joy. No doubt our events and shows will get you dancing, connecting and feeling the love!
Isaac Gasangwa, aka Izo Dreamchaser, is an educator, creator and ambassador of African cultures in Vancouver. He is the founder of Afro-Beats Van, an organization that offers dance classes and performances to initiate, educate and inspire Vancouverites to connect with African culture and history, as well as than to tackle the social problems of racism and police brutality.
Kocassale Dioubate, from the Mandingo (or Malinke) tribe of Guinea, West Africa, is a descendant of his tribe’s ‘ djeliba’ (also known as griots) traditional story-tellers, entertainers, musicians, praise singers, counselors, and mediators, those who keep and preserve the tribe’s oral history and tradition, known to have deep connections to the spiritual, social, and political powers. Koca was born into this inherited lineage of arts and entertainment, as well as social skill, and has been playing and creating music, as well as dancing, since his early childhood, ever since he was old enough to walk.
