Alysha Brilla
Alysha Brilla is a 2025 Women in Music International Leadership Honouree, 2024 Canadian Screen Award nominee and three-time JUNO Award-nominated songwriter, composer, producer and artist.
Guided by her Indo-Tanzanian roots and Great Lakes spirit, Brilla creates music that bridges cultures through rhythm, storytelling and joy. Her artistry thrives on stage; an electrifying space where voice, guitar and heartbeat percussion come together to invite audiences into a collective experience of movement and healing
Performing with her powerhouse ensemble one-man-band Sammy Duke and Jamaican reggae percussion royalty Gerima Harvey, Brilla’s concerts are vibrant celebrations of sound and soul. The group’s chemistry transforms each show into an immersive journey that blends folk, world, soul and pop, weaving global percussion, percussive finger picking and soaring harmonies into a tapestry that uplifts and connects. Whether commanding large outdoor festival stages or intimate theatres, Brilla’s performances radiate warmth, technical brilliance and the magnetic charisma of an artist fully at home in her craft.
As a composer and producer, Brilla’s musicality extends far beyond the stage. She composed the original score for Fawzia Mirza’s acclaimed feature film The Queen of My Dreams, earning recognition for her emotionally resonant, culturally rich compositions. Her work seamlessly intertwines global instruments with modern production, reflecting a lifelong passion for both analog warmth and digital innovation.
Brilla’s creative reach includes collaborations with an impressive roster of artists such as The Black Eyed Peas, Bedouin Soundclash, Digging Roots, No Doubt, Paula Sofia and three-time Grammy-winning mastering engineer Emily Lazar. In 2013, she made history as one of the first self-produced female artists to receive a JUNO Award nomination; an achievement that helped redefine what independent women in music could achieve. She later won Producer of the Year at the 2018 Independent Music Awards for her album Rooted, with her songs featured in film, television and radio stations worldwide.
Brilla’s global performances have included acclaimed festivals such as WOMAD, Folk Alliance International, NXNE and Iceland Airwaves, captivating audiences across South America, Australia, Asia, Europe and North America. Her live show is a sonic pilgrimage; a space where ancestral rhythm meets modern soul and where every audience is invited into a conversation of spirit, resistance and joy.
A 2022 Keychange Artist selected by the European Commission, Brilla is recognized internationally for her leadership in advancing gender equity and innovation in the music industry. She has served as a resident artist and guest lecturer at institutions including Berklee College of Music, the School of Audio Engineering Australia and the University of Waterloo, inspiring the next generation of creators to merge craft, culture and consciousness.
At every turn, Alysha Brilla’s work; whether on stage, in the studio, or on screen, embodies the transformative power of sound. Her performances are not just concerts; they are experiences of connection, liberation and celebration, uniting audiences through the universal language of rhythm and heart.