Overview
Di empress dem ah mash up di place!! Empress Mash Up is an all-female reggae jam session featuring four dynamic solo artists, at different points of their careers, with distinct but complementary styles and variations of reggae, dancehall, RnB and the eventual fusion of the sounds; backed by an exciting, budding five-piece reggae band to highlight the frequently neglected presence, participation and contribution of women to reggae music at large.
About Rayzalution Band
Rayzalution is Canada’s all-female reggae band, and they have been ascending the reggae scene with intensity and style since their formation in 2017. This ensemble hails from the Greater Toronto Area but originated in the city of Brampton, Ontario and consists of Chantel “CeeCee” McKnight (Creator, Band Leader, Vocalist, Bassist & Steel Pannist), Tanziana “Zhem” Stephenson (Vocalist & Lead Keys), Leah “LikkleBit” Stewart (Drummer & Vocalist), Rael Felix (Guitarist & Vocalist) and Aria Zenua (Lead Vocalist).
Rayzalution believes in promoting positive Canadian content while honouring its Caribbean roots and culture through reggae music and its various forms. Their repertoire consists of originals and cover arrangements of classic and present-day reggae hits, all composed to entertain and enlighten everyone inside and outside any venue. The format? Blending exceptional sound with reggae and other Caribbean and Western flavours of music, their live performances promise harmonic appeal and a meaningful and unforgettable experience.
You can also find Rayzalution on the festival circuit, having shared the stage with the likes of Maxi Priest, Freddie McGregor, Baby Cham, Sanchez, Romain Virgo, Dexta Daps, Mikey Spice, Beenie-Man, I-Wayne, Razor B and The Mighty Diamonds. In November 2019, Rayzalution was honoured to tour the U.S. East Coast with the Queen of Reggae, Marcia Griffiths (from Bob Marley’s I-Threes) and veteran dancehall artist, Lady G, as their backing band and opening act. In 2022, the ladies of Rayzalution opened for the legendary Sister Nancy and, most recently, The Original Wailers.
This all-female collective has continued the female band revolution with their original single “Hold Ah Vibe” (available on all streaming platforms) and is set to release their long-anticipated first studio album, coming in 2023.
About Chelsea Stewart
Sly Dunbar calls her “one of the hardest working female artists in the reggae music business today.” Chelsea Stewart, with her Momager and street team, has sold over 30,000 physical copies of her original singles and EPs combined on the streets of Toronto.
This globetrotting, JUNO-nominated independent artist has performed on four of the seven continents. Wearing several hats as a writer, composer, producer, creative director and promoter, Stewart successfully hand-selects other talented artists in Toronto to be her opening acts for her annual live music series, An Intimate Evening with Chelsea Stewart.
From Rototom Sunsplash in Europe to Reggae Sumfest in Jamaica to arenas in South Africa, Stewart is continuously making moves and making people move with her style of reggae music worldwide. Just coming off her first African tour, she has been melting hearts from country to country with her sweet lollipop voice with enough sugar to help make the bitterness of life’s struggles a bit sweeter.
She released an eleven-track self-titled reggae album, much to the delight of her loyal fans. This JUNO-nominated singer-songwriter has given us an album that can be easily defined as a musical history lesson. Beginning with nyabinghi drumming and dub poetry, moving on to mento, ska, rocksteady, reggae and incorporating dancehall. Her album includes instrumentation from GRAMMY-winning reggae legends Sly & Robbie and is a musical tribute and a treat, with something for everybody. Speaking on various issues of today and moving us through the many moods of love, this beautiful body of work deserves your attention and a spot on your playlist.
About Tiffanie Malvo
Daughter of reggae veteran Anthony Malvo, Tiffanie Malvo follows in her father’s footsteps as a singer and performer. She is also a model and aspiring actress, adding to a famous legacy. Growing up in a musical household, inspired by her parents, Ruby Dillon, businesswoman and international recording artist Anthony Malvo, she realized she wanted to be a singer at thirteen and was determined to make her path with the blessing of her parents and the Malvo magic touch. She recorded her first song: a duet with her father, Anthony Malvo, to great reviews.
She has been successful with many songs under her belt throughout the years. Recently she released a few successful collaborations, from hitting one million streams on Spotify with a song titled “Proud” with Sam Dinga out of Europe and the release of “Gratitude” recorded alongside Davihanna, the daughter of reggae veteran Tony Rebel. Malvo also released “Good Love Remix” featuring Busy Signal and another collaboration, “Love You” with Wayne Wonder.
Labelled as the female face of reggae and dancehall in Toronto, she has opened for many of the well-known artists in the city, such as Popcaan, Spice, Waynewonder, Shenseea, Tanya Stephens, Exco Levi and Kirkdiamond, to name a few.
She has a song called “Bring it Good” with Kirkdiamond that has created a massive buzz on the airwaves since its release on April 26, 2023.
About Natural Fyah
A fiery young queen makes vibrational ripples in an industry that often requires a particular look and sound for its vessels. Vocalist Natural Fyah, while initially starting out feeling boxed in this way, has evolved into something even more beautiful than initially anticipated. She began her musical endeavours as a spectator, listening to, singing with and collecting what music she could by recording it over her mother’s Luther Vandross tapes.
The journey includes Natural Fyah’s most recent performances at the TOTC Festival presented by Stages Canada in Montreal and Maricourt, Quebec, in the summer of 2022. Looking forward to the summer of 2023, Canada’s “Fyah Mumma” is excitedly anticipating her upcoming performances with TOTC and Stages in Montreal, which pre-set the atmosphere for her Toronto Harbourfront Centre performance this August 2023.
About Donna Makeda
Donna Makeda’s most recent project is a new single called “Pack up and Gwaan.” Selassie I Muzik Label produced the single, and will be released in 2023. She just finished shooting the video for her single “Vegan Dinna.” The video was released on April 26 via Reggaeville and is available on YouTube for viewing. Time2Rize Video Productions shot it with videographer Tygon Cowan on location in Toronto and Scarborough, Canada. Directed by Carrie Mullings of Rebel Vibez, the video is set to make a mark on the reggae dancehall music scene in Canada and the world. The single “Vegan Dinna” is on the Happy Riddim and was produced by 3Mirage Label and mixed and mastered by Vonnii. It has reached the number one position on Connecticut, USA’s reggae/dancehall charts. “Vegan Dinna” has been getting much attention with airplay on Roots FM and Bes 100 FM in Jamaica, G98.7FM, on Reggae Rhythms with Patrick Roots on CIUT 89.5 FM and Vibe105FM in Toronto, along with a slew of online radio play globally; with special mention of Roots Reggae Radio, Ital Roots Radio, Soul Kitchen Radio, Cut & Clear Radio and Selector Don Blaze in the UK to name a few.
Makeda has performed extensively in Canada in Toronto, Brantford, Hamilton, Ottawa, Montreal and Calgary; internationally in Barbados, Guyana, the United States and Jamaica and has been on a few music tours internationally promoting her music over the years. Other singles released are “Don’t You Break My Heart” on the Old Fashion Love Riddim courtesy of Cancer Music and Ras Vibes Records, “Need Some Money” produced by Prince Everald with rhythm courtesy of African Star, this song enjoyed rotation on local radio programs and Galaxie Reggae program on television. She remixed “Need Some Money” with Toronto rappers L-Profit and Pyro and released it on YouTube. Previous to that, Makeda released a single entitled “Hold On,” which was mixed in Kingston, Jamaica, by the legendary Dr. Marshall of Anchor Studio, rhythm courtesy of Roger B. She also picked up an award from the Toronto International Reggae Music Awards for Roots & Culture Album of the Year for her album Ah Ah De Rulah. To date, she has racked up 30 reggae music awards. She has performed at major festivals and stage shows in Canada, including Jamaica Day, Rastafest, Durham Caribbean Festival, Toronto Street Festival, Beaches Jazz Festival, Caribana on Olympic Island, Afrofest and Calgary Reggae Festival. Reggae Muskoka, Hamilton Sunfest, Marcus Garvey Day, The Canadian Reggae Music Awards, The Bashment Community Appreciation Awards, Irie Music Festival, Afrikadey in Calgary and To Africa With Love in Barbados. At her Calgary ReggaeFest performance that year, Makeda and her dancers impacted the 6000-strong audience with her dynamic and impressive stage performance.
This multi-talented, multi-award-winning artist has released four full-length albums entitled Almighty Bless Me, Who Can Endure, Jah Ah De Rulah and Then and Now, along with numerous vinyl and CD singles.
She has appeared live many times on City TV’s Breakfast Television, Entertainment News, Clip Trip, The Scene, Lunch Television, Rogers Cable 10, Soul in the City and Da Mix (Canada). This Guyanese-born dreadlocked singjay is also a graduate of Trebas Institute, where she received her diploma in Recorded Music Production and Multimedia and is the proud owner of a quarterly reggae music magazine called ReggaeXclusive Entertainment News, which already received seven awards for “Top Reggae Magazine” in Canada and is now in its 21st year of publishing. After graduating from Dance Academy, she opened her dance and aerobics school, the Burning Flame International Dance Troupe. She did her first international stage show in Toronto after migrating to Canada. She was scooped up by Jones & Jones Productions, who managed her musical career. She has been under new management with Ajang Music of Jamaica for over ten years and has worked tirelessly since her first single, “Gun Bust,” was released in the early nineties. Without a doubt, her voice is her wealth, her intellect a cultural strength, and her stage presence expresses her royal heritage.
Dates & Times
August 5
5:30pm – Rayzalution Band
6pm – Natural Fyah
6:30pm – Tiffanie Malvo
7pm – Intermission 30 mins
7:30pm – Chelsea Stewart
8pm – Donna Makeda
8:30pm – Rayzalution Band