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Alysha Brilla

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Alysha Brilla
Brilla in 2022
Background information
BornNovember 3
Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
OriginKitchener, Ontario, Canada
Genres
  • Folk
  • World
  • Pop
  • Soul
Occupations
  • Singer-songwriter
  • Multi-instrumentalist
  • Music producer
  • Film composer
Instruments
  • Guitar
  • Piano
  • Percussion
Years active2010–present
LabelsIndependent
Websitealyshabrilla.com

Alysha Brilla (born November 3) is an Indo-Canadian musician, songwriter, and music producer. Brilla's music career includes festival performances at WOMAD, Woodford Folk and Montreal Jazz. Her music focuses on themes of connection and healing. Born in Mississauga, Ontario and raised in Brampton, Ontario, she started singing in her early teens in local bands and at festivals. In 2010, she signed a major record deal at Lava/Universal Republic Records.[1] Brilla has since released all of her music independently on her own music label, Sunny Jam Records. Brilla has received three Juno Award nominations for her self-produced albums.

Early Life and Background

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Alysha Brilla is an Indo-Tanzanian Canadian singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, music producer, audio engineer and film composer known for her unique fusion of folk, world, soul and pop influences. Brilla’s polycultural heritage deeply influences her music, blending modal singing techniques with contemporary production. Alysha Brilla is a multi-instrumentalist who plays guitar, piano, drums and percussion.

Alysha’s sound is unique in the folk-pop space. Her use of layered vocals, percussive guitar playing, and world-music-inspired beats gives her a distinctive sonic signature.

She has produced 3X JUNO Award winning albums as well as music for Guatemalan-Canadian artist Paula Sofia, Desirée Dawson and she composed, produced and engineered the original motion picture score for Fawzia Mirza’s “The Queen Of My Dreams”, which earned her a 2024 Canadian Screen Award.

Career

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Brilla first gained national recognition in 2013 when she became one of the first self-produced female artists in Canadian history to receive a JUNO Award nomination for her debut album In My Head. As an independent artist, Brilla has released multiple albums, received three JUNO Award nominations, and won accolades such as Producer of the Year (Independent Music Awards, 2018) and Entrepreneur of the Year (Women In Music Canada, 2024) [2] . Her music has been featured in film and television, and she has collaborated with prominent artists such as The Black Eyed Peas, Bedouin Soundclash, and No Doubt[3] . In 2024, Brilla earned a Canadian Screen Award nomination for Best Original Score for the feature film The Queen Of My Dreams, showcasing her expertise as a film composer [4] . Brilla has also been a featured speaker at major industry events, including SXSW, Folk Alliance International, and the She Rocks Awards, advocating for gender parity in music production and engineering. In addition to her music career, Brilla is a professor at Berklee College of Music, where she is the only female professor in the Music Production & Engineering Department [5] . She also serves as the advisor for the We Are Moving The Needle Berklee Chapter, a global initiative started by 3X Grammy Award winning engineer Emily Lazar dedicated to increasing representation of women and gender-diverse professionals in the music industry.

Musical Style and Influence

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Brilla’s sound is an eclectic blend of folk, world, and soul, infused with rich storytelling and intricate rhythms. She incorporates Indian and East African musical elements, modal singing and contemporary production techniques to create a sound that is both modern and deeply rooted in tradition. Her live performances are multi-instrumental showcases, with Brilla frequently switching between guitar, piano, drums, and percussion [6]

Discography

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Year Album
2012 Brilla
2013 In My Head
2014 Woman
2016 Human
2017 Rooted
2022 Circle

Notable Recognitions

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  • Alysha Brilla is a professor at Berklee College of Music, where she is currently the only female professor in the Music Production and Engineering Department.[7] She also serves as an advisor for the We Are Moving The Needle Berklee Chapter, an organization advocating for gender parity in the music industry, particularly in technical fields.
  • In 2013, she became one of the first self-produced female artists to receive a JUNO Award nomination, setting a new standard in Canadian music. [8]
  • Composed the score for Fawzia Mirza’s critically acclaimed award-winning feature film *The Queen Of My Dreams*, showcasing her talent for emotionally resonant, culturally rich compositions. Alysha Brilla received a Canadian Screen Award nomination for her original film score. [9]
  • Collaborated with renowned artists such as The Black Eyed Peas, Bedouin Soundclash, Digging Roots, No Doubt, and three-time Grammy-winning mastering engineer Emily Lazar. [10]
  • Toured internationally, performing at esteemed festivals like WOMAD, captivating audiences across South America, Australia, Asia, Europe, and North America. [11]

Awards and Nominations

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2024

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  • Canadian Screen Award Nomination for Achievement in Music – Original Score for *The Queen Of My Dreams*. [12]
  • Selected for the Women In The Studio Cohort by Music Publishers Canada. [13]
  • Honoured as Entrepreneur of The Year by Women In Music Canada. [14]

2022

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  • Chosen as a Keychange Artist representing Canada by the European Commission. [15]

2021

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  • Voted Best Local Artist/Band in the *Best of Waterloo Region* Awards. [16]

2020

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  • Received the Waterloo Region Arts Award in the General Arts category. [17]

2018

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  • Producer of The Year in the Pop category at the Independent Music Awards for the album *Rooted*. [18]
  • JUNO Award Nomination for *Adult Contemporary Album of The Year* for *Rooted*. [19]

2016

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  • Again voted Best Local Artist/Band in the *Best of Waterloo Region*. [20]

2015

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  • Awarded Music Artist Of The Year by *Anokhi South Asian Media Awards*. [21]
  • Named among *Women of The Year: 30 Canadians who rocked 2015* by *Chatelaine Magazine*. [22]
  • JUNO Award Nomination for *Adult Contemporary Album of The Year* for *Womyn*. [23]
  • Finalist in the International Songwriting Contest for the song *Immigrant*. [24]

2014

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  • Shortlisted for the *CBC Music Awards Rising Star*. [25]
  • Winner of the Oktoberfest Woman Of The Year Award in Arts and Culture. [26]
  • JUNO Award Nomination for *Adult Contemporary Album of The Year* for *In My Head*. [27]

References

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  1. ^ "Cherry Lane Music Publishing Company, Inc. - New Signings for LAVA and Cherry Lane". Cherrylane.com. 2010-06-14. Archived from the original on 27 July 2010. Retrieved 2010-06-29.
  2. ^ "Alysha Brilla, Berklee College of Music". Berklee College of Music. Retrieved 2025-02-04.
  3. ^ Brilla, Alysha. "About Alysha Brilla". She Is The Music. Retrieved 2025-02-04.
  4. ^ "2024 Canadian Screen Awards". 2024 Canadian Screen Awards. Retrieved 2025-02-04.
  5. ^ "Alysha Brilla". ARC Artists. Retrieved 2025-02-04.
  6. ^ "Kitchener-Waterloo Oktoberfest". Kitchener-Waterloo Oktoberfest. Retrieved 2025-02-04.
  7. ^ "Alysha Brilla, Berklee College of Music". Berklee College of Music. Retrieved 2025-02-04.
  8. ^ "Alysha Brilla". Wikipedia. Retrieved 2025-02-04.
  9. ^ "2024 Canadian Screen Awards". Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television. Retrieved 2025-02-04.
  10. ^ "About Alysha Brilla". She Is The Music. Retrieved 2025-02-04.
  11. ^ "About Alysha Brilla". She Is The Music. Retrieved 2025-02-04.
  12. ^ "2024 Canadian Screen Awards". Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television. Retrieved 2025-02-04.
  13. ^ "Women In The Studio 2024". Music Publishers Canada. Retrieved 2025-02-04.
  14. ^ "Alysha Brilla, Berklee College of Music". Berklee College of Music. Retrieved 2025-02-04.
  15. ^ "Keychange Artists". Keychange. Retrieved 2025-02-04.
  16. ^ "Best of Waterloo Region 2021". The Record. Retrieved 2025-02-04.
  17. ^ "Waterloo Region Arts Awards". Waterloo Region Arts Fund. Retrieved 2025-02-04.
  18. ^ "About Alysha Brilla". She Is The Music. Retrieved 2025-02-04.
  19. ^ "JUNO Award for Adult Contemporary Album of the Year". Wikipedia. Retrieved 2025-02-04.
  20. ^ "Best of Waterloo Region 2016". The Record. Retrieved 2025-02-04.
  21. ^ "Anokhi South Asian Media Awards". Anokhi Life. Retrieved 2025-02-04.
  22. ^ "Women of The Year 2015". Chatelaine. Retrieved 2025-02-04.
  23. ^ "JUNO Award for Adult Contemporary Album of the Year". Wikipedia. Retrieved 2025-02-04.
  24. ^ "International Songwriting Competition". ISC. Retrieved 2025-02-04.
  25. ^ "CBC Music Awards". CBC Music. Retrieved 2025-02-04.
  26. ^ "Oktoberfest Woman of the Year Award". Kitchener-Waterloo Oktoberfest. Retrieved 2025-02-04.
  27. ^ "JUNO Award for Adult Contemporary Album of the Year". Wikipedia. Retrieved 2025-02-04.
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