Naya Ali is an Ethiopian Canadian rapper based in Montreal, Quebec. She released the first half of her debut album, Godspeed: Baptism (Prelude), in 2020.[1]

Early life and career

Ali was born in Ethiopia and immigrated to Canada as a preschooler, growing up in Notre-Dame-de-Grâce.[2] She originally started writing poetry and rapping as a teenager, however she had stopped by her early 20's.[3] She attended both McGill and Concordia universities, studied public relations and held a job in marketing, before leaving to pursue a music career.[4][3][5] She released the single "Ra Ra" in 2017 and her debut EP Higher Self in 2018.[6][7] She released her debut album Godspeed: Baptism (Prelude) in 2020, through Coyote Records.[8][9] The second half of the album is due in spring 2021.[10] In 2021, she was one of five artists to receive a prize at the Black Canadian Music Awards, presented by the SOCAN Foundation.[1] She was also named one of the 25 Canadian Artists to Watch Out For in 2021, by Complex.[11]

In January 2021, she was named one of the winners of SOCAN's inaugural Black Canadian Music Awards alongside Dylan Sinclair, Tobi, RAAHiiM and Hunnah.[12]

In 2023, she participated in an all-star recording of Serena Ryder's single "What I Wouldn't Do", which was released as a charity single to benefit Kids Help Phone's Feel Out Loud campaign for youth mental health.[13]

References

  1. 1 2 "'Being a Black woman from Montreal who raps' gives Naya Ali her edge, she says". montrealgazette. Retrieved 2021-05-20.
  2. ↑ "Naya Ali remporte l'un des premiers Prix de la musique noire de la Fondation SOCAN". Le Devoir (in French). Retrieved 2021-05-20.
  3. 1 2 "Montreal rapper Naya Ali wins inaugural Black Canadian Music Award". Global News. Retrieved 2021-05-20.
  4. ↑ "Montreal rap's freshman class ready for the hustle". montrealgazette. Retrieved 2021-05-20.
  5. ↑ "Les yeux de Naya Ali". La Presse (in French). 2020-03-27. Retrieved 2021-05-20.
  6. ↑ "Naya Ali construit son empire". Le Devoir (in French). Retrieved 2021-05-20.
  7. ↑ "Naya Ali Godspeed: Baptism (Prelude) | Exclaim!". exclaim.ca. Retrieved 2021-05-20.
  8. ↑ "Naya Ali : une entrée en jeu solide ★★★½". La Presse (in French). 2020-03-23. Retrieved 2021-05-20.
  9. ↑ "Stream Naya Ali's Debut Album 'Godspeed: Baptism (Prelude)' | Exclaim!". exclaim.ca. Retrieved 2021-05-20.
  10. ↑ "Montreal rapper Naya Ali is ready for liftoff". CBC Music. January 27, 2021.
  11. ↑ "25 Canadian Artists to Watch Out For in 2021". Complex. Retrieved 2021-05-20.
  12. ↑ Brock Thiessen, "Here Are the Winners of the First Black Canadian Music Awards". Exclaim!, January 11, 2021.
  13. ↑ Brent Furdyk, "Feel Out Loud: Alessia Cara, Serena Ryder & More Canadian Artists Collaborate On New Single Promoting Youth Mental Health Initiative". Entertainment Tonight Canada, March 2, 2023.
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