Alysha Brilla | |
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![]() Brilla in 2022 | |
Background information | |
Born | November 3 Mississauga, Ontario, Canada |
Origin | Kitchener, Ontario, Canada |
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Years active | 2010–present |
Labels | Independent |
Website | alyshabrilla.com |
Alysha Brilla (born November 3) is an Indo-Canadian musician, songwriter, and music producer. Brilla's music career includes festival performances at WOMAD, Woodford Folk and Montreal Jazz. Her music focuses on themes of connection and healing. Born in Mississauga, Ontario and raised in Brampton, Ontario, she started singing in her early teens in local bands and at festivals. In 2010, she signed a major record deal at Lava/Universal Republic Records. [1] Brilla has since released all of her music independently on her own music label, Sunny Jam Records. Brilla has received three Juno Award nominations for her self-produced albums.
Alysha Brilla is an Indo-Tanzanian Canadian singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, music producer, audio engineer and film composer known for her unique fusion of folk, world, soul and pop influences. Brilla’s polycultural heritage deeply influences her music, blending modal singing techniques with contemporary production. Alysha Brilla is a multi-instrumentalist who plays guitar, piano, drums and percussion.
Alysha’s sound is unique in the folk-pop space. Her use of layered vocals, percussive guitar playing, and world-music-inspired beats gives her a distinctive sonic signature.
She has produced 3X JUNO Award winning albums as well as music for Guatemalan-Canadian artist Paula Sofia, Desirée Dawson and she composed, produced and engineered the original motion picture score for Fawzia Mirza’s “The Queen Of My Dreams”, which earned her a 2024 Canadian Screen Award.
Brilla first gained national recognition in 2013 when she became one of the first self-produced female artists in Canadian history to receive a JUNO Award nomination for her debut album In My Head. As an independent artist, Brilla has released multiple albums, received three JUNO Award nominations, and won accolades such as Producer of the Year (Independent Music Awards, 2018) and Entrepreneur of the Year (Women In Music Canada, 2024) [2] . Her music has been featured in film and television, and she has collaborated with prominent artists such as The Black Eyed Peas, Bedouin Soundclash, and No Doubt [3] . In 2024, Brilla earned a Canadian Screen Award nomination for Best Original Score for the feature film The Queen Of My Dreams, showcasing her expertise as a film composer [4] . Brilla has also been a featured speaker at major industry events, including SXSW, Folk Alliance International, and the She Rocks Awards, advocating for gender parity in music production and engineering. In addition to her music career, Brilla is a professor at Berklee College of Music, where she is the only female professor in the Music Production & Engineering Department [5] . She also serves as the advisor for the We Are Moving The Needle Berklee Chapter, a global initiative started by 3X Grammy Award winning engineer Emily Lazar dedicated to increasing representation of women and gender-diverse professionals in the music industry.
Brilla’s sound is an eclectic blend of folk, world, and soul, infused with rich storytelling and intricate rhythms. She incorporates Indian and East African musical elements, modal singing and contemporary production techniques to create a sound that is both modern and deeply rooted in tradition. Her live performances are multi-instrumental showcases, with Brilla frequently switching between guitar, piano, drums, and percussion [6]
Year | Album |
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2012 | Brilla |
2013 | In My Head |
2014 | Woman |
2016 | Human |
2017 | Rooted |
2022 | Circle |