Shakura S'Aida is a Canadian blues vocalist, songwriter and actress. She is sometimes credited Shakura.
History Shakura S'Aida was born in Brooklyn and lived in Switzerland before moving to Canada.
S'Aida was lead singer of the 13-piece world music ensemble Kaleefah, before embarking on her solo career. She has also performed as a backing vocalist for Rita MacNeil and Patti LaBelle, as well as with jazz musicians such as Jimmy Smith and Ruth Brown. She has also been nominated for several Juno Awards for her music.
S'Aida independently released her first solo album, Blueprint, in 2008."Travelling blues; How Shakura S'Aida's globe-trotting past and present helped shape her musical direction" by Eric Volmers, Calgary Herald (24 July, 2021) Retrieved from Her second album, Brown Sugar, was released in 2010 on Ruf Records. In 2012, she released a double CD, Time, on Electro-Fi Records.
As an actress, she starred in a Toronto production of George Boyd's Consecrated Ground in 2004,"The wrong way to honour Ground" by Richard Ouzounian, Toronto Star (13 May, 2004) Retrieved from as well as Sudz Sutherland's Doomstown in 2006"Turning the lens on gun violence" by Gayle MacDonald, The Globe and Mail (10 June, 2006) Retrieved from and Sharon Lewis's film Brown Girl Begins in 2018."Production wraps on Brown Girl in the Ring" by Jordan Pinto at Playbackonline.ca
In 2013, she was nominated for a Blues Music Award in the 'Contemporary Blues Female Artist' category.
Discography Blueprint (2008, independent) Brown Sugar (2010, Ruf) Time (2012, Electro-Fi)
Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 1995 First Degree Ella Rodie 1996 Talk to Me Scarecrow 1996 Critical Choices Mother 1999 A Map of the World Guard 2000 Livin' for Love: The Natalie Cole Story Backup singer (as Shakura S'Aida) 2006 Doomstown Karen Twisleton 2007 A Winter Tale Charmaine 2017 Whitewash The Narrator (voice) Video documentary 2017 Brown Girl Begins Mami
Television Year Title Role Notes 2000 Falcone The Waitress Series 2005 Kevin Hill Jury Foreman Series 2007 The Jane Show Lillian Series 2008 Flashpoint Jackie Series 2009 'Da Kink in My Hair Shirley Andrews Series 2010–2011 Turbo Dogs Marlene Series 2012 The Firm Researcher Series 2013 CBC Music Festival Herself TV special 2010–2015 Lost Girl Dark Fae Elder Series 2015 Saving Hope Cora Boullot Series 2016–2017 Schitt's Creek Lena Series 2021–present Batwoman Cora Lewis Season Two
Theatre + Year Title Role Notes Source 1998 The Destruction of Eve (by Svetlana Zylin and Connie Kaldor) Unknown with Company of Sirens
Awards and nominations YearAwardCategoryResultReference 1993Juno Awards of 1993Best World Music Artist/Band 2004Maple Blues AwardFemale Vocalist of the Year 2005Maple Blues AwardFemale Vocalist of the Year 2007Maple Blues AwardEntertainer of the Year Female Vocalist of the Year2008Maple Blues AwardFemale Vocalist of the Year 2009Maple Blues AwardEntertainer of the Year Female Vocalist of the Year2010Maple Blues AwardEntertainer of the Year Female Vocalist of the YearRecording of the Year (for Brown Sugar (Ruf Records))2011Maple Blues AwardEntertainer of the Year Female Vocalist of the Year2012Maple Blues AwardEntertainer of the Year Female Vocalist of the YearSongwriter of the Year (with Donna Grantis)Recording of the year (for Time (Electro-Fi Records), with Howard Ayee)2013Juno Awards of 2013Best Blues Album of the Year Blues Music AwardsContemporary Female Artist Maple Blues AwardEntertainer of the Year Female Vocalist of the Year2014Maple Blues AwardEntertainer of the Year Female Vocalist of the Year2015Maple Blues AwardFemale Vocalist of the Year 2016Maple Blues AwardFemale Vocalist of the Year 2017Maple Blues AwardFemale Vocalist of the Year 2023Juno Awards of 2023Best Contemporary Roots Album of the Year "The Weeknd Wins Big at 2023 Juno Opening Night Awards" by Karen Bliss at variety.com
References
External links Shakura S'aida on IMDb