Women In Music Canada is thrilled to announce the launch of EQLive, a unique showcase series that supports women and gender-diverse artists and crews from around the country. The inaugural run of the showcase series will take place this fall, with shows in Calgary (October 20), Whitehorse (October 30), Ottawa (November 29) and Toronto (December 20). 

The Ottawa showcase features trailblazers Savannah Ré (three-time Juno Award winner, Traditional R&B/Soul Recording of the Year), Witch Prophet (2024 WIMC Rising Leaders Award, Polaris Prize Shortlist), and acclaimed Inuit throat-singing duo Silla (two-time Juno nominee, two-time winners of Summer Solstice Indigenous Music Awards). Presented in collaboration with Axé WorldFest.

Savannah Ré

Three-time consecutive JUNO Award winner for Traditional R&B/Soul Recording of the Year Savannah Ré has become the one to watch in Canadian R&B. By making music with the unyielding intention to craft songs that forfeit polished stories for authentic ones, the Toronto artist has become the go-to collaborator for R&B’s upper echelon having written with artists like Babyface, Jessie Reyez, Normani, Wondagurl and her mentor, Grammy Award-winning producer Boi-1da.

Savannah Ré’s critically-lauded debut EP Opia earned her multiple award nominations. On her second body of work, No Weapons, Savannah holds firm in her commitment to expressing vulnerability through potent songwriting with a newfound understanding of herself. From the perspective of an ever-evolving woman brimming with confidence, clarity and drive, Savannah Ré continues to establish herself as an impactful voice in R&B.

Witch Prophet

It’s been three years since the release of her Polaris Prize shortlisted album DNA Activation; an ode to her Ethiopian and Eritrean ancestral roots, fusing Jazz, Hip-Hop, Soul and RnB. Touring across North America performing along side and opening for acts like Lido Pimienta, Sudan Archives, Tash Sultana, Snotty Nose Rez Kids and more.

Now, Witch Prophet returns to the spotlight with a new soul/adult contemporary LP Gateway Experience due out May 3, on Heart Lake Records. A soundscape of vocal layers, loops, raps and harmonies on a bed of hip-hop, jazz and soul-inspired beats produced by her business partner and wife SUN SUN.

Silla

Silla are an Inuit throat singing duo known for blending traditional songs across a wide range of contemporary genres. Performing together since 2005, Silla’s members Charlotte Qamaniq from Iglulik and Cynthia Pitsiulak from Kimmirut, Nunavut, have crafted a hypnotizing live performance that is not to be missed.

The name Silla, is derived from the Inuktitut word ‘Sila’, its definition includes concepts of weather, land, spirit, cunning, and intelligence. The name acknowledges the powerful spirituality and traditions that have kept the practice alive despite historical threats posed by settler colonization in Canada.

Silla has received two Juno nominations for their work as Silla and Rise and are winners of two Summer Solstice Indigenous Music Awards.