Montreal-born, Haitian descendent Dominique Fils-Aimé’s triptych of albums devoted to African-originated music is a single history of the journey from darkness to light, told in three parts: from the origins of blues in slave songs (2018’s Nameless), to the tenacity of jazz and the civil rights movement (the 2020 Juno-winning Stay Tuned!), and the healing freedom of soul and funk (2021’s Three Little Words). “Revolution Serenade” – a Fils-Aimé song title – encapsulates her wholly original, eclectic love letter to the African diaspora. Her ancient, tribal and buttery smooth vocals are matched by powerful and nuanced arrangements – layered harmonies, horn flourishes, tight string section shifts, tasty percussion – and her electric, entrancing stage presence. Her writing is fresh and powerful, exemplified by song titles “Constructive Interference” and “Gun Burial” and lyrics “cause I’m nameless, shapeless and faceless, nameless shameless and faithless,” “someone pulled the trigger – did I pull the trigger?” and ‘I thought you’d burned down paradise, in the blink of a random eye.’ 2023 marks the start of a new trilogy with Our Roots Run Deep, a vibrant, lush album where her voice unfolds in a multitude of directions further illuminating this new queen of entrancing neo-soul's voice.
Biography by Kerry Clarke