Shakura S'Aida

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Shakura S'Aida
Shakura S'Aida.jpg
Background information
BornBrooklyn, New York, U.S.
GenresBlues
Occupation(s)Singer, actress
Labels Electro-Fi, Ruf

Shakura S'Aida is a Canadian blues vocalist, songwriter and actress. She is sometimes credited Shakura.

Contents

History

Shakura S'Aida was born in Brooklyn and lived in Switzerland before moving to Canada. [1] [2]

S'Aida was lead singer of the 13-piece world music ensemble Kaleefah, [1] before embarking on her solo career. She has also performed as a backing vocalist for Rita MacNeil and Patti LaBelle, as well as with jazz musicians such as Jimmy Smith and Ruth Brown. She has also been nominated for several Juno Awards for her music. [3]

S'Aida independently released her first solo album, Blueprint, in 2008. [2] Her second album, Brown Sugar, was released in 2010 [2] on Ruf Records. In 2012, she released a double CD, Time, [2] on Electro-Fi Records.

As an actress, she starred in a Toronto production of George Boyd's Consecrated Ground in 2004, [4] as well as Sudz Sutherland's Doomstown in 2006 [5] and Sharon Lewis's film Brown Girl Begins in 2018. [6]

In 2013, she was nominated for a Blues Music Award in the 'Contemporary Blues Female Artist' category. [7]

Discography

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1995First DegreeElla Rodie
1996 Talk to Me Scarecrow
1996Critical ChoicesMother
1999A Map of the WorldGuard
2000 Livin' for Love: The Natalie Cole Story Backup Singer (as Shakura S'Aida)
2006 Doomstown Karen Twisleton
2007 A Winter Tale Charmaine
2017WhitewashThe Narrator (voice)Video documentary
2017 Brown Girl Begins Mami

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
2000 Falcone The WaitressSeries
2005 Kevin Hill Jury ForemanSeries
2007 The Jane Show LillianSeries
2008 Flashpoint JackieSeries
2009 'Da Kink in My Hair Shirley AndrewsSeries
2010-2011 Turbo Dogs MarleneSeries
2012 The Firm ResearcherSeries
2013 CBC Music Festival HerselfTV special
2010-2015 Lost Girl Dark Fae ElderSeries
2015 Saving Hope Cora BoullotSeries
2016-2017 Schitt's Creek LenaSeries
2021–Present Batwoman Cora LewisSeason Two

Theatre

YearTitleRoleNotesSource
1998The Destruction of Eve (by Svetlana Zylin and Connie Kaldor)Unknownwith Company of Sirens [8]

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryResultReference
1993 Juno Awards of 1993 Best World Music Artist/BandNominated [9]
2004 Maple Blues Award Female Vocalist of the YearNominated [10]
2005 Maple Blues Award Female Vocalist of the YearNominated [11]
2007 Maple Blues Award Entertainer of the YearNominated [12]
Female Vocalist of the YearNominated
2008 Maple Blues Award Female Vocalist of the YearNominated [13]
2009 Maple Blues Award Entertainer of the YearNominated [14]
Female Vocalist of the YearNominated
2010 Maple Blues Award Entertainer of the YearNominated [15]
Female Vocalist of the YearWon
Recording of the Year (for Brown Sugar (Ruf Records))Nominated
2011 Maple Blues Award Entertainer of the YearNominated [16]
Female Vocalist of the YearNominated
2012 Maple Blues Award Entertainer of the YearNominated [17]
Female Vocalist of the YearNominated
Songwriter of the Year (with Donna Grantis)Nominated
Recording of the year

(for Time (Electro-Fi Records), with Howard Ayee)

Nominated
2013 Juno Awards of 2013 Best Blues Album of the YearNominated [18]
Blues Music Awards Contemporary Female ArtistNominated [19]
Maple Blues Award Entertainer of the YearNominated [20]
Female Vocalist of the YearNominated
2014 Maple Blues Award Entertainer of the YearNominated [21]
Female Vocalist of the YearNominated
2015 Maple Blues Award Female Vocalist of the YearNominated [22]
2016 Maple Blues Award Female Vocalist of the YearNominated [23]
2017 Maple Blues Award Female Vocalist of the YearNominated [24]
2023 Juno Awards of 2023 Best Contemporary Roots Album of the YearNominated [25]

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References

  1. 1 2 Ruhlman, William. "Shakura S'Aida: Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved May 30, 2010.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Travelling blues; How Shakura S'Aida's globe-trotting past and present helped shape her musical direction" by Eric Volmers, Calgary Herald (24 July, 2021) Retrieved from ProQuest   2554669126
  3. "Shakura S'Aida News". www.shakurasaida.com. Retrieved December 8, 2018.
  4. "The wrong way to honour Ground" by Richard Ouzounian, Toronto Star (13 May, 2004) Retrieved from ProQuest   438704029
  5. "Turning the lens on gun violence" by Gayle MacDonald, The Globe and Mail (10 June, 2006) Retrieved from ProQuest   383544772
  6. "Production wraps on Brown Girl in the Ring" by Jordan Pinto at playbackonline.ca
  7. "Blues Music Awards Nominees - 2013 - 34th Blues Music Awards". Blues.org. Retrieved March 21, 2013.
  8. "[Stage]: [1 Edition]". Toronto Star. May 7, 1998. p. 1. ISSN   0319-0781.
  9. "1993 | Best World Beat Recording | Kaleefah | The JUNO Awards". The JUNO Awards. Retrieved August 15, 2018.
  10. "Toronto Blues Society | » 2004 Maple Blues Awards". torontobluessociety.com. Retrieved August 15, 2018.
  11. "Toronto Blues Society | » 2005 Maple Blues Awards". torontobluessociety.com. Retrieved August 15, 2018.
  12. "Toronto Blues Society | » 2007 Maple Blues Awards". torontobluessociety.com. Retrieved August 15, 2018.
  13. "Toronto Blues Society | » 12th Annual Maple Blues Awards". torontobluessociety.com. Retrieved August 15, 2018.
  14. "Toronto Blues Society | » 13th Annual Maple Blues Awards". torontobluessociety.com. Retrieved August 15, 2018.
  15. "Toronto Blues Society | » 14th Annual Maple Blues Awards". torontobluessociety.com. Retrieved August 15, 2018.
  16. "Toronto Blues Society | » 15th Annual Maple Blues Awards". torontobluessociety.com. Retrieved August 15, 2018.
  17. "Toronto Blues Society | » 16th Annual Maple Blues Awards". torontobluessociety.com. Retrieved August 15, 2018.
  18. "2013 | Blues Album of the Year (Sponsored by Stingray Music) | Shakura S'Aida | The JUNO Awards". The JUNO Awards. Retrieved August 15, 2018.
  19. "2013 Indies Honour The Best In Independent Music With Awards And An Exclusive Headline Performance By Metric - Jim Beam INDIES with INDIE88". Jim Beam INDIES with INDIE88. January 23, 2013. Retrieved August 15, 2018.
  20. "Toronto Blues Society | » 17th Annual Maple Blues Awards". torontobluessociety.com. Retrieved August 15, 2018.
  21. "Toronto Blues Society | » 18th Annual Maple Blues Awards". torontobluessociety.com. Retrieved August 15, 2018.
  22. "Toronto Blues Society | » 19th Annual Maple Blues Awards". torontobluessociety.com. Retrieved August 15, 2018.
  23. "Toronto Blues Society | » 20th Annual Maple Blues Awards". torontobluessociety.com. Retrieved August 15, 2018.
  24. "Toronto Blues Society | » Nominees". torontobluessociety.com. Retrieved August 15, 2018.
  25. "The Weeknd Wins Big at 2023 Juno Opening Night Awards" by Karen Bliss at variety.com