ABOUT | Alysha Brilla

"Alysha Brilla electrifies the music industry with her kaleidescopic blend of soul, folk and world beats."

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Alysha Brilla is an Indo-Tanzanian Canadian singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, music producer, audio engineer and film composer blending folk, world, soul and pop influences. 2025 Women In Music International Leadership Honouree, a three-time JUNO Award nominee and 2024 Canadian Screen Award-nominated composer for The Queen Of My Dreams, Brilla’s work is known for its emotional depth and cultural richness.

Brilla channels her heritage into a vibrant soundscape exploring themes of reconnection with oneself, others and nature. In 2013, she made history as one of the first self-produced female artists to receive a JUNO nomination for her debut album.

Brilla’s distinct sound features layered vocals, percussive guitar and world-music-inspired beats, incorporating Indian and East African elements, modal singing and contemporary production. A multi-instrumentalist, she performs on guitar, piano, drums and percussion, making her live shows dynamic displays of musicianship.

She has produced three JUNO award nominated albums and composed, produced and engineered the score for The Queen Of My Dreams, earning a 2024 Canadian Screen Award nomination.

She has collaborated with artists like Paula Sofia and Desirée Dawson and worked with Grammy-winning talent including Bedouin Soundclash, Digging Roots, No Doubt, The Black Eyed Peas and Justin Nozuka. Her single “Love” was mastered by three-time Grammy winner Emily Lazar.

Brilla’s international performances celebrate diversity, uniting audiences with her powerful voice and magnetic stage presence. Alysha Brilla is also an associate professor in Berklee College’s Music Production and Engineering department and a sought-after keynote speaker, sharing insights on music, culture and the power of art.

Awards & Nominations:

- 2025 Women In Music International Leader of The Year Honour
- 2024 Women In The Studio Cohort, Music Publishers Canada

- 2024 Canadian Screen Award Nomination (Original Music Composition for Queen Of My Dreams)

- 2024 Women In Music Canada Entrepreneur of The Year Honours

- 2022 European Commission Keychange Artist representing Canada

- 2021 “Best Local Artist/Band” Best of Waterloo Region Awards

- 2020 Waterloo Region Arts Award General Arts

- 2018 Producer of The Year, Pop category, Independent Music Awards
- 2018 Juno Music Award Nominee Adult Contemporary Album of The Year, “Rooted”
- 2016 “Best local artist/band” Best of Waterloo Region

- 2015 Anokhi South Asian Media Award Music Artist Of The Year

- 2015 “Women of The Year; 30 Canadians who rocked 2015”, Chatelaine Magazine

- 2015 Juno Music Award Nominee Adult Contemporary Album of The Year, “Womyn”

- 2015 International Songwriting Contest Lyrical Finalist “Immigrant”

- 2014 CBC Music Awards Rising Star Shortlisted

- 2014 Winner Oktoberfest Woman Of The Year Award Arts and Culture

- 2014 Juno Music Award Nominee Adult Contemporary Album, “In My Head”

Panels & Speaking:

-2025 International Women's Day, WRSBC, Waterloo

-2024 CTV National News Canada, Women In The Studio Program 2024
-2024 SXSW Music In Film Roundtable, Austin Texas

-2024 Music Publishers Canada "The Music of The Queen Of My Dreams", Los Angeles

-2023 St. John's International Women's Film Festival “Lunch with Queen Of My Dreams”, Newfoundland

-2022 Folk Alliance International “Healing Through The Power of Sound”

-2022 Iceland Airwaves Gender Equity in The Music Industry, Reykjavik Iceland

-2022 Femme Folk Festival Keynote Music Technology X Spirituality, Kitchener

-2022 Breakout West Healing Through Sound, Calgary
-2022 M for Montreal Panel, Independent Artist Distribution Tips

-2021 Guelph Black Heritage Anti-Racism Summit “Queer BIPOC Representation in the Arts”

-2021 Wilfrid Laurier University “Women, Art and Activism”

-2021 Northern Power Summit “Music Gone Global”

-2021 Folk Music Ontario “BIPOC Artists and Music Festival Bookings”

-2021 Multicultural Artist Panel, Good Co Productions Kitchener

-2021 London City Music Awards “Music Producer’s Secret Sauce”

-2020 Manitoba Music w/Zaki Ibrahim “Cultivating Community + Healing Through Artistry”

-2020 Folk Alliance International Panel “Women In Music: A Continued Call for Change”

-2020 Folk Alliance International Panel “The (Music Industry) Future Is Green”

-2019 Wilfrid Laurier University “Encounters In Music & Community; A Racial Justice Perspective”

-2019 Cape Breton Regional Municipality Arts, Culture & Events “Women In Music”

-2019 Canadian Music Week “Women In The Studio” Panelist Toronto

-2018 Women In Music Canada “Play Your Gender” Documentary Screening & Discussion

-2018 Canadian Music Week “The Producers; Spring Time for Hit Lists” Panelist Toronto
-2018 YWCA She Talks Speaker Cambridge
-2018 If I Ruled T.O. Youth Conference Speaker Toronto May

-2017 Folk Alliance International Panel “Global Roots Music & Folk”
-2016 Diversity in Folk Music Panel, Kansas City

-2015 Mundial Montreal World Music “Contemporizing Tradition”

Select Reviews & Publications:

New Feeling “Demystifying Sound Healing: Alysha Brilla on Her Album Circle”

CBC Arts “Why Alysha Brilla Aims to Heal with Music”

The Community Edition “Alysha Brilla’s Musical Path to Healing”

SOCAN Magazine “Music as Medicine”

Select Public Performances of Original Music:

Zanzibar, Tanzania - Mercury’s Jazz Bar

London, England - Amazing Grace

Reykjavík, Iceland - Iceland Airwaves Festival

Cannes, France - MIDEM Music Festival

Rishikesh, India - Rishikesh Yog Peeth