Sponsored By: Old Orchard Inn
- Friday 9:20 PM Festival Theatre
Alysha Brilla is a 3× JUNO Award nominated songwriter, producer and electrifying live performer, as well as the 2025 Women in Music International Leadership Honouree and a 2024 Canadian Screen Award nominee. Sounds of earth, songs of stars.
Rooted in her Indo-Tanzanian heritage and shaped by the Great Lakes in Canada, Brilla’s sound is distinctly unique. Driven by global percussion, percussive guitar and soaring vocals, Brilla’s sound is a transcendent call and response – creating a live show that is more than a performance; it is an interactive, embodied experience.
On stage, Brilla is a luminous musical storyteller, performing with a powerhouse ensemble featuring reggae legend Gerima Harvey (percussion and vocals) who has played music with The Wailers (Bob Marley) and Sammy Duke (bass guitar, cajon and vocals), an internationally touring multi-instrumentalist. Together, the trio weaves voices, heartbeat percussion and string fingerpicking into a living rhythmic ecosystem.
Brilla has captivated audiences worldwide at major international festivals including WOMAD (Chile), The Montreal Jazz Festival (Canada), Woodford Folk Festival (Australia), MIDEM (France), Singapore GP and Iceland Airwaves. With a new album releasing in 2026, Alysha Brilla offers a rhythm-led, participatory show that creates genuine connection and leaves audiences uplifted long after the final note. In addition to live performances, Alysha Brilla and her ensemble offer engaging workshops in group singing, drumming and improvisational songwriting, designed for all ages and experience levels.
The River – Alysha Brilla 2026 Exclusive EPK
Music and Lyrics by Alysha Brilla
Sammy Duke: Bass, Cajon + BG Vocals
Gerima Harvey: Djembe, Shaker + BG Vocals
