CANMORE – Bringing powerhouse electric vocals and unstoppable energy to the artsPlace stage, Juno awarding winning artist Shakura S’Aida is ready to rock’n’roll with audiences.
The blues singer said she is excited to be back in the Bow Valley. Canmore holds a special place in her heart because it was the first folk festival she participated in when her career was first taking flight.
“I love Canmore a lot – I love the people there I think they’re unique,” S’Aida said. “It was such an amazing experience that from that point on all I wanted to do was folk festivals.”
S’Aida described herself as an artist that defies genres, melding blues, roots, folks and rock with a little something extra.
Music has always been a part of her life in one way or another. When she sings S’Aida described the experience as feeling in love.
“I feel like I’m doing the things that I was most meant to be doing,” S’Aida said. “It feels like the most natural thing in the world for me.”
She is grateful for the opportunities her passion has led to, including travelling the world and Canada to share her sweet melodies.
“It’s incredible, it’s a blessing, it’s a gift,” S’Aida said.
Canada has been a major part of her musical experience because she has traversed the country playing in folk festivals.
There is a beauty to festivals, she said, because of the rich collaboration that takes place between musicians. While at events she has the privilege of meeting and working with artists from "anywhere, everywhere and from all genres," and she carries the lessons she learns into the songs she creates.
The importance of collaboration includes working with those that come to her concerts, S'Aida added.
“The audience is part of that collaboration by listening in, and enjoying it and laughing,” S’Aida said, explaining that she encourages guests to come without expectation, ready to be open to the experience of what takes place on stage.
“I hope they come away with a sense of joy, with a sense of love,” S’Aida said. “Not just of music and perhaps my band and I, but certainly of themselves and the world around them.”
The stage of artsPlace will offer an intimate experience for guests she said, explaining that she will be performing with a three-piece band. She will be accompanied by Paige Armstrong on guitar, Roger Williams on base and Robin Claxton on drums at artsPlace.
S'Aida has toured around the world with the trio she said and appreciates the great time they can share on stage.
“I wanted to do that again and share that experience with the audience,” S’Aida said.
Their bond allows them to play authentically together and leaves room to explore the music together during performances.
“I definitely allow the vibe of the night, the energy of the night to impact what I play and how we play it,” S’Aida said. “We try to listen to each other as much as possible so that you’re hopefully getting a different experience then what you would have gotten the night before – It’s not just playing the same old, same old.”
”Shakura S’Aida will be performing at artsPlace on Sunday (March 1). Tickets are available for $25.50 for artsPlace members and $30 for non-members.
