She stunned the jury of ”La Voix” with her remarkable on-stage presence and her electric voice in 2015. After shining on the popular TVA show, Gaya is finally back to seduce the rest of the province with her first Solo Project .
We attended the intimate Ep launch at the ti-Agrikol, where Sanya Michel Élia, Alias Gaya was presenting her debut record – Little Bird , as well as celebrating her 30th anniversary. It goes without saying that the place was packed with ecstatic friends, family and fans of the unstoppable force.
She was brighter than ever playing her latest five compositions that moved us from a different world and style at each song. Singing in multiples language, her talent was radiating, especially with the badass sound of her seven band members – The TeamGaya band
She already demonstrated her raw energy and animal side on the stage of the Quebec version of The Voice, but she’s presenting a much more intimate dive into her colorful universe. Each song is a glimpse into her soft and tender personality, that she’ll deliver with the same powerful, sweet and soulful voice.
Gaya is definitely returning to us with maturity and confidence – I don’t necessarily mean more into womanhood, although she did just give birth to a baby last year, but rather that she’s exploring her own sound and style and you could absolutely feel her enjoyment and that freedom at her EP release
She’s mastering her voice’s pitch and tones on a wide range of musical world. Sometimes fusing R&B with folks and a layer of jazz. Sometimes it’s world music with a funky bass-line. Always connected to her Haitian roots and with the gospel influences from her younger age, she loves to play around with musical style. Singing about liberty, compromise and passion from a new relation. Jumping from french, to english and creole – this sweet musical journey (available for only 5$!) is one you’ll definitively want to discover.
That being said, the ambiance was instantly set at the Ti-Agrikol once Sanya took the floor, infecting the crowd immediately with her electric energy to begin her night of celebration. Gaya played all of her new songs accompanied by a brass section, two backing vocal, a bassist, a guitarist, a drummer and a keyboardist – all of whom were brilliant and grooving like beasts.
Gaya included a cover of Uptown funk, along with a tribute to the late Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin. She first performed that cover of Bruno Mars and Mark Ronson on the stage of the famous Quebec show.
Check out the performance below :
Already armed with a diploma in ”technique policière”, The singer from brossard left her study in law in 2009 to devote herself entirely to her music.
” I want to give myself the chance to be a singer ”
After touring with the Boogie Wonder Band and performing at ”La Voix” in 2015, Gaya introduced a young child into her life. She took some time in 2017 from her pregnancy to write Little Bird, an album she wanted to her image with her sound ; ‘I didn’t want a album to sell, I wanted to give the public my hearth and something authentic.”
Discover Gaya new EP Little bird – Here
Photos and Text – by Xavier Hebert – info@mltimes.ca
