Montreal native Shaharah

A soulful journey

Montreal native Shaharah speaks the language of self-discovery with new EP

By Leroy Graham

Hip-hop artists aren’t Canada’s only urban musicians making an impact. With vocal juggernauts such as Melanie Fiona capturing the attention of international audiences, Canada is becoming known as the home of gifted R&B performers. Hoping to add her name to that list is Montreal native Shaharah. Sway caught up with the budding superstar on the heels of a national promo tour for her recently released EP No Turning Back.

SWAY: Montreal is seen as an artists’ haven. How would you describe the city’s music scene?
SHAHARAH: There are a lot of aspiring artists, so you’ve got a lot of bands that play in local restaurants, lounges and clubs. It’s nice to be able to network with people who are in your position. I love Montreal for that. It’s a great place to nurture talent and has really helped me to become a performer and an artist.

SWAY: How did you begin pursuing a career in music?
I joined my church choir when I was 15 years old. That’s when I really learned to use my voice as an instrument, to harmonize, to use dynamics when singing. I’m a spiritual and very godly person, so it was nice to be in the sort of environment where I could express that fully. I learned a lot about singing when I was in the choir and it helped me to decide that music was what I really wanted to do, professionally. It wasn’t a conscious decision that I was going to switch from gospel to secular music. I mean, music is music.

SWAY: What lessons has the industry taught you about yourself?
I’ve grown as a person, I’ve become a lot smarter and I’ve really learned how to better express myself. Now it’s easy for me to pull out what’s on the inside. I find it really easy to be myself and I find it difficult to be someone else. I love meeting with people, connecting with people, you know, finding out how my music has touched, inspired or comforted them. To me, that’s the best part of the business.

SWAY: How does your recent EP No Turning Back speak to where you are in your life and career right now?
I finally made the decision to quit my day job and give music my 100 per cent. To me, the EP represents that change in my life. It’s about deciding that I want better for myself. It is also about the realization that I can’t focus on the mistakes that I’ve made in the past and that I really need to start looking to the future.
For more about Shaharah, concert dates or to purchase No Turning Back, visit shaharah.com