1:30 PM
DJ Tempeh, Ethiopia

DJ Tempeh is a Toronto-based Afro DJ. She is heavily inspired by hiplife, coupe decale, soukous and kuduro. She is a frequent performer in Kensington Market and you may recognize her from Socialite, Tribal Eye and 187 Augusta Gallery.

2:00 PM
Ibou Activated, Niger

Ibou also known by his stage name, Mr.Activated, is an up and coming
MC/HOST. He originally started working within the community in 2012 as a member of MotherlandEnt’s promotion team. Over the years, he was worked relentlessly, behind the scenes on most major African entertainment events. In 2017, with this charisma and love for conversation, Ibou launched a podcast titled “Activated Podcast”. The aim of the podcast is to create a platform where the everyday person can come and share their stories to spark inspiration within those listening. Ibou’s captivating, easy going and authentic personality has made his transition from Podcast host to event hosting a natural one.

2:00 PM
Eve’s Eye, Ghana

Evelyn is known for her “ENERGY”. To her it’s a vibration of how heaven will be “No worries, love and Peace”. She believes first impression, really matters. Evelyn Koomson is known by everyone as Eve’s Eye, derived from the creator himself. Evelyn is an Actress, Host, & Model. She’s an adventurous person and believes confidences is the first step to success.

Evelyn’s role is to be creative in every aspect of her life. She believes with many years of
experience within her career, she’s learned that the key player to entertainment is to entertain the crowd, and most importantly create an atmosphere that will leave an unforgettably experience. Once Evelyn is given a position as a host, she will make sure to bring out the wildest spirit from everyone’s heart, She will make sure everyone is engaged and having a good time. She believes the African in her is to be wild. Evelyn’s greatest inspiration is YaaAsantewaa, Oprah Winfrey, Maya Angelou and many more. She believes one day the entire world will know about her and her greatest achievements and she will inspire endless amounts of people. She is the future leader in the making. Eve’s Eye!

2:30 PM
Ngoma Ensemble, Multinational- Caribbean

NGOMA ENSEMBLE is an exciting group of performers who capture the essence of their cultural heritage through drum with a distinctive new vibe. Ngoma is committed to honoring their ancestry through the dynamic presentation of drum pieces that educates, empowers and embraces the majesty of African Heritage. Formed in 1995 this is the second generation of this ensemble who have been provided with opportunities to perform compositions arranged by alumni members of the ensemble. Ngoma members range in ages with a mandate to further develop theeducation of their art, heritage and globalleadership.

Performing annually at AFROFEST enables NGOMA ENSEMBLE to connect with the community to share “this is our culture”. Ngoma ensemble works in Toronto’s Jane and Finch community out of the Driftwood Community Centre where drum classes are provided for everyone.

3:10 PM
BKP, Congo DR

Born and raised in Toronto. BKP is a young recording artist who is a part of a multi-media collective called LA VAGUE. He has been producing music since the age of 14, just recently started to take the artist lane with his craft.

3:30 PM
Imah, Senegal

Imah is a Senegalese singer/songwriter based inToronto. She’s had apassion for singing since the age of 12 and has recently begandedicating more time to grow her music career and to follow her dreamsof performing around the world. Her music is inspired byAfrobeats/Afrohouse/RnB/Pop and Hip Hop.Imah is an artist by nature, her talents include photography, design, makeup artistry and more.

3:50 PM
Eyeami, Zimbabwe

EYEAMI pronounced, ‘I am I’ is a multifaceted artist hailing from Harare, Zimbabwe.By fusing the familiarity of African instruments andmelodies with the influence of his new home, Toronto – EYEAMI gives us to a taste of arefreshing genre poised to add to the diversity of Toronto’s entertainment culture.

4:20 PM
4TwnTy, Nigerian/Sudan

4TwnTy is a duo r&b group comprised of two creatives, Aya and Sharon, who came together with the goal of making an impact in the music industry by sharing their talents in song writing and vocals. Both singers have been singing ever since they could remember, dating back to when they posted renditions and covers on their social media and competed in talent shows.

The duo recently came out with an EP Album called “Bittersweet”. There is a selection of 5 songs that give off a different vibe. This album consisted of sleepless nights, but turned out to be a milestone in the duos journey to success. The group strives to make a statement that dark skinned females deserve to have more role models in popular culture. Sharon from a Nigerian background and Aya, Sudanese we think it’s time for another generation to see female camaraderie and people working together to create art – not just music, but visuals, stories and emotions that can leave an impact.

4:45 PM
TeePolo, Jamaica

Kenya Grant, popularly known as TeePolo, was born and raised in Manchester, Jamaica.
TeePolo started out singing at her church in Cobbla, Manchester and would later be promoted as the lead singer of the choir called “The Kingdom”. TeePolo entered several school talent competitions and started out with the name “Rhymy Spice”. The recording artiste recorded her first single “Bun Out Iniquity” at the “Diamond Cut Recording Studio” in Mandeville, Manchester at the age of 15 which was later placed on the popular Myspace platform.

In February 2019, TeePolo released her second single, “Overcome” produced by DCQ BEATS. A 0.25 seconds teaser was placed on her social media platforms that went viral before the single was officially released. The single, after being released had then started trending on Audiomack” Reggae and Dancehall charts and was later placed on heavy rotation on Toronto” first Caribbean radio station, “G98.7”.
Being exposed to the issues faced in society today plays a big part in the kind of messages she delivers through her music. TeePolo now wishes to spread her music and messages to all parts of the world.

5:00 PM
MC Bonde, Zimbabwe

MC Bonde ‘the voice of AFRICA’ is host of the 3-time award winning radio show: The African
Groove Show on G98.7 FM EVERY Sunday: 12pm-2pm Eastern Toronto Time! MC Bonde is the host of: THE MC BONDE SHOW on YouTube.

5:00 PM
DJ Shaq-T, Rwanda

Born and raised in the land of a thousand hills AKA Rwanda, DJ Shaq-T moved thousands of kms away to the beautiful country of Canada which he now calls home.

On his journey, the one thing that kept him going was his love & passion for music. Hip-hop, r&b, Afrobeats, Afrohouse, zouk, dancehall, Bollywood are some of the genres of music that tend to flock his extensive repertoire. What makes Dj Shaq-t unique, is the ability to bring & mix complex genres & sounds from anywhere on the audible spectrum to come together in cohesive harmony. DJ Shaq-t is ready for you on the dance floor. Question is…are you ready for him?

5:20 PM
Asaa Queens, Multinational

Assa Queens which translates to Beautiful Dance Queens has two meanings. Assa, in Igbo, a language from Nigeria, means beautiful, whereas in Twi, a language from Ghana, it means Dance. The group is composed of five girls; Josephine Prempeh (Ghana), Ugochi (Guchi), Ndukwe (Nigeria), SamuellaDoussou (Benin/Gabon), and Zahra Badua (Ghana).

The Group is composed of trained and self-taught dancers from different dance backgrounds. Some of their credits include dancing for International artists such as Yemi Alade, Flavour, Davido, Kiss Daniel to name a few. Some have been in several competitions around the GTA as well as in North America while others are dance teachers. Asaa uses their dancing as a means to connect with their culture, heritage and people.

5:35 PM
Jae Baz, Nigeria

Jae Baz is his artist name. Born JosephObaruyi’EdoOsayomoreEhigie,Jae Baz is a Benin Kingdom native which is located in SouthNigeria. As his parents only son, Jae Baz hasalways been a very tactfuland responsibleaction taker when it comes to setting trends andgoingafter his goals and ambitions. Jae Baz moved to Boston, US and later Canada. In efforts to feel more connected to his roots, he created music with an Afro Fusion sound. As a well-traveled artist with thecombination of Italian experience, mixed withAmerican and now Canadian perspective, the Jae Baz style is undoubtedly the definition of Afro Fusion, and can alternately becategorized as World Music in the musicalgenre.

5:55 PM
Ariet, Ethiopia/Sudan

ArietOpolo is a talented singer-songwriter, model and an actress based in Toronto. Her music is raw and authentic intended to take her listeners back to motherland, Ariet's music is very popular in the Anyuak community (Ethiopian/Sudanese). She started recording music in 2014 and in that year, Ariet released her first hit single AanaKoong which is played all over villages in Gambella Ethiopia, South Sudan and Nairobi Kenya. In May 2018 she released her first album and was a big success in the community. Currently Ariet is completing her second album that is set to have two release dates in two different cities July 2019.

Ariet was born in Gog, Gambella, Ethiopia, her parents migrated from South Sudan in the late 80s to escape the war in South Sudan. When she was 12 years old the family came to Canada as refugees looking for better life and opportunities. Growing up in Canada Ariet was always drawn to the spotlight, at the age of 18 she began her modeling career and landed her first billboard, the ad was over the city of Calgary in 2008, in 2009 Ariet walked in the Vancouver Fashion Week, in 2015 she competed in the Miss Universe Canada Pageant, and walked for African Fashion Week Toronto in the same year. Ariet is also a working actress who has done numerous of TV commercials, currently emerging into film and movies.

6:15 PM
Fashion Show, Multinational

AFRICAN FASHION WEEK TORONTO provides an unparalleled level of brand exposure drawing hundreds of thousands of impressions and opportunities for brands to connect directly with their target market. Home to top influential afro-inspired designers and the next generation of emerging design talent in Canada and from around the world, African Fashion Week Toronto creates regional and worldwide opportunities for brands to build a relationship with their audiences. AFWT has quickly gained industry recognition as one of Toronto’s leading creative platforms for fashion, art and beauty.

We are a diverse group of artists, designers, producers, thinkers, strategists, and visionaries; and together, we are global citizens who believe that true style, and a commitment to making the world a better place, are by no means mutually exclusive. We collaborate with organizations, brands, designers, professionals, and stakeholders who encourage people to examine, explore, and question the world around them in an accessible and engaging way. It is through this multi-disciplinary approach to fashion that we form the essence of AFWT’s value system which is built on integrity. We believe that by educating, supporting, and promoting sustainability in fashion, we can create a space that transforms personal responsibility to global change.

2:00 PM
Ibou Activated, Niger

 

6:40 PM
AfiwiGroove, Multinational

6:55 PM
AFROFEST Dance-off, Multinational

 

7:45 PM
Terence Penny, Ghana

Inspiring words and grooves come easily to rap/hip hop artist, Terence Penny. Born in the culturally rich Jane-Finch community of Toronto, Ontario, Terence has a natural ability to connect with people and uses his music to leave audiences uplifted and energized. God and Community are the foundation to making this happen. Terence Penny writes his own material and has performed both locally and internationally as a headliner. He is also a Child and Youth Worker who aims to unlock the potential out of every youth he encounters.

8:10 PM
Success K &Ozee B, Nigeria

8:45 PM
Destiny, Trinidad

Destiny is a versatile band that has been around for 10 years, changing the evolution of Caribbean music and implanting their mark in the musical industry as one of the Premier crossover bands in Toronto.

Destiny boasts of its diversity, with talented versatile musicians and singers from all Ethnic backgrounds, meeting the needs of any audience. The band plays a wide genre of music ranging from soca, reggae, R&B, hip-hop and pop. They have newly added live steel pan players, limbo dancers and tassa drumming. This has gained us the opportunity to perform for many events across Canada. Some events include Jerkfest, PAN-AM games, Bollywood Monster, etc. They have won the CEMA Award for best Caribbean Soca (crossover) band consecutively from 2015 to 2018.

12:30 PM
DJ Biggy, Ethiopia

“DJ BIGGY” Full name Berhan Haile was born in Ethiopia and raised in Addis Abeba, which means new flower”. Berhan began DJ’ing at the age of 16 with limited equipment found at the time, a double deck tape player and a walkman, making it difficult to have a proper mixer or a turntable. He left home at the age of 17 years and traveled to Greece where he started to learn playing in clubs and community functions. He started to learn the beautiful sounds of Africa to further his musical knowledge.

In 1992 Berhan moved to Toronto and started working with many African musicians and dancers in various show like the Ethiopian day Festival, Bana ‘y’ Africa, the African Dance Festival, The Sudbury Cabaret African and the well known and the biggest African music festival in the world Afro-Fest to list the few, which gave him the title of the best DJ specialized in African music in Toronto, he produced many DJ mix CDs and continue to play in African weddings and festivals around the city of Toronto and Surroundings.

12:30 PM
Afiwi Groove feat. Amadou Kienou, Multinational

1:30
PM Suubi Fusion Uganda

The Suubi Fusion Troupe is a program run out of the Cambridge Secondary School, just outside of Uganda’s capital, Kampala. It’s a not-for-profit school, providing an education for up to 400 youths. The Suubi Fusion Troupe started as an original idea of the school’s founder, Mrs. Kevin Kalule. Suubi means ‘hope’ in Luganda. Suubi Fusion Troupe tours with the mission of using performing arts to increase access to education in Uganda.

 

 

 

 

2:30 PM
Wings of Passion, Afro-Caribbean

Wings of Passion Inc is a not for profit, non-denominational organization that uses the arts as a vehicle to raise funds and provide support for children with chronic or life-threatening diseases residing in third world countries. We also seek to build discipline, moral values, healthy self-esteem and confidence in our local youth through our performing art programs. Creation Sings Youth Choir centered in Brampton, now in its 7th year, is one of the programs offered by

Wings of Passion Inc.

The choir member’s age ranges from 10-18 years. “Culturally relevant”, “dynamic!”, “exciting!” and “fantastic!” are just some of the words that have been used to describe Creation Sings Youth Choir. They are not your average every-day choral choir: they move, they sing, they act and they dance! They are expressive and dramatic! Always dressed for the occasion – their costumes offer a visual flair to spice up their performances. Their songs range from Reggae (Inspirational & Gospel), African (Broadway & Gospel) and Negro Spiritual.

3:30 PM Njacko Backo Cameroon

Njacko BackoAND KALIMBAS AT WORK is a dynamic group of musicians whose energy and positivity are inspiring. Njacko’s compositions blend together two genres of traditional Cameroonian music-manganbeu and ben skin. He arranges up to three kalimbas and blends in ngoni (African harp), voice, fiddle, and other world music percussion instruments. The group’s performances are truly unforgettable-featuring invigorating audience engagement and grooves that will make you move. Kalimbas At Work includes Njacko Backo (kalimba, ngoni, lead vocals), Anne Lederman (fiddle, kalimba, voice), Walter Maclean (percussion, voice) and Valery Woloshyn (kalimba, percussion, voice).

5:00 PM Elida Almeida, Cape Verde

Winner of the Prix Découvertes RFI in 2015, Elida, a young woman born on the island of Santiago, developed her vocal techniques with simple church singing. Elida Almeida has made a name for herself performing at world music venues in Europe, Africa and North America.

The unknown Elida won huge acclaim for her first album and the song Nta Konsigui (2.7 million views on YouTube), her warm, smooth voice conveying a powerful exultation. On her second album, Kebrada (named for the village where she grew up), she asserts her African identity, seasoning her Cabo Verdean beats – batuque, funaná, coladera and tabanka – with Latino energy. Her fiery temperament and joie de vivre do nothing to undermine the social criticism she expresses in her nostalgic ballads tinged with pop.

Elida Almeida shows an impressive maturity, talent and generosity.

6:30 PM Fally Ipupa DR Congo

Fally Ipupa is a Congolese artist who started his musical career with “Koffiolomide” and playing with Quartier Latin International. His first solo album, titled, Droitchemin, was released in 2006. It sold over a hundred THOUSAND units! He has won a series of African continental awards including Best Video MTV African Awards 2010, Best Life Act MTV African Music Award 2014, Best Male Artist in Central Africa AFRIMA 2014, won three AFRIMA 2018 awards, was nominated for Best International Artist at the BET Awards 2018, and more. Lastly, he is arguably the top French-speaking artist in Africa.

1:30-2:15PM
DJ Damiger, Nigeria

Renowned International DJ Damiger is a successful Disc Jockey and powerful brand to reckon with when it comes to music and entertainment in West Africa and North America. The professional Disc Jockey spins
different genres of music from Afro Beats, Hip Hop, EDM/top40, RNB, House, Funky House Music, reggae/Dancehall, Soca and Oldskool. His ability to trill and entertain different types of audience across the globe makes him stand out.

Currently based in Toronto, Canada, the prolific disc jockey has handled series of concerts and events for multinational companies including Rotary international, Mara and Silverbird group, has performed at top carnivals such as the International Lagos carnival, Caribana and top radio stations such as Rhythm 93.7fm and online radio platforms. He has also performed at several high profile weddings and private events around the globe.

DJ Damiger has released series of mixtapes projects and song refixes to his ever-growing worldwide fan base that eagerly anticipates each new mix and lively performance at their events. He is currently working with several top artists on the release of his album.

2:15-2:25PM
Afro Queens, Multinational

AfroQueens is an emerging group that performs Afrobeat and traditional African dances. Composed of high school students from Scarborough, our goal is to promote the positive aspect of African culture despite certain stigmas of it, in our community and school. Though this team is young, we do not fail to deliver professionalism and radiate our confidence through performance.

2:45-3:05
PM Suubi Fusion Troupe, Uganda

The Suubi Fusion Troupe is a program run out of the Cambridge Secondary School, just outside of Uganda’s capital, Kampala. It’s a not-for-profit school, providing an education for up to 400 youths. The Suubi Fusion Troupe started as an original idea of the school’s founder, Mrs. Kevin Kalule. Suubi means ‘hope’ in Luganda. Suubi Fusion Troupe tours with the mission of using performing arts to increase access to education in Uganda.

3:15-3:25PM
Yungstar Millz, St. Kitts/ Jamaica

Yungstar Millz is a poet and a rapper who resides in Scarborough. He’s been writing poetry since a child and has been influenced by many up-and-coming artists in his city who are not afraid to be and express themselves. He shares his life stories as well as his amazing rapping skills on the mic. You can find Yungstar’s music on all streaming platforms.

3:30-3:45PM
Amanie Illfated, South Sudan

Amanie Illfated is a Toronto based singer/songwriter with a flavorful, dynamic fusion of R&B, Reggae, Afrobeat and Trap. She was born in what is now known as South Sudan and immigrated to Saskatchewan with her family as refugees in 1992. Her upcoming EP called ‘SATURN’ comes out in October 2019.

3:50-4:05PM
Vokal Legend, Trinidad & Tobago

Vokal legend is a Toronto recording artist, who is versatile in his written lyrics as well as his stage performance. Music has always been a passion of his and his focus on recording and releasing music that is relatable and is always well received by his audience. His performance is energetic and he gets the crowd on their feet with ease.

Vokal legend has performed on several local stages (Durhum Caribbean Festivals, Collingwood Live Music Festivals etc.) showcasing his art and love for music.

Vokal is committed to this journey as an artist, his message to all is “its not how your journey begins, but where your road ends”.

4:25-4:40PM
Prophett Music, Nigeria

Prophett is a Canadian-based Afrobeat Singer born in Nigeria.

At a young age, the singer discovered his love for music through listening to the likes of Michael Jackson and Bob Marley.

Music has since become a big part of his life. After his debut in 2016, he has consistently worked on making his brand a household name.

4:45-5:00PM
Remiray, Cameroon

REMIRAY is a young song writer and artist from Cameroon. He is base in Toronto, Canada. He is an excellent singer and he does songs like Afro beats, Afro fusion, dancehall, Souk Love and R&B. He did his first song in 2015 titled “MY LADY”. Since then, he has released back to back over 35 songs amongst which he did a collaboration with some African Music legend like ‘PETIT PAYS’ and ‘MAGASCO’. His first official Album ‘LOVE EXPRESSION’ was launched on August 11, 2018 and it’s available on all social media platforms like spotify, Amazon, YouTube, Tidal, Sound cloud etc.

He received an Award as the Best Artist Revelation at RADIO KILLIMANJARO MUSIC AWARD in 2016, and also Recognized by the Council of Toronto as an AFRICA (CAMEROON) COMMUNITY DEVELOPER IN 2016. Again in 2018, he was awarded the best Male Artist in Canada at the RADIOKILIMANJARO MUSIC AWARD. He is ranked amongst the 20 best Afrobeat Artists as per G98.7FM statistics in 2018.

REMIRAY is official signed to EMPEROR MUSIC and has been working with this label on projects towards releasing the visuals of his already released album (LOVE EXPRESSION).

5:05-5:20PM
Kibra Tesfaye, Eritrea

Kibra is an emerging young talent, from Toronto, ready to captivate you with her hybrid blend of smooth R&B sounds and agile jazz vocals. Kibra cites 90s/2000s R&B as a formative influence in her music while growing up in the West End of Toronto. The hypnotizing debut single “They Don’t Know,” released in 2017 marked her artistic debut, creating significant buzz in the Toronto music scene. Her second single, “Three Little Birds,” gives listeners a neo-soul ambience, affirming that self-love is instrumental to one’s personal fulfillment. The track is lifted from her Debut EP, “Finally”, which is now available on all streaming services.

5:25-5:40
PM Dynesti Williams,  Jamaica

Dynesti Williams in­spires peo­ple to re­con­nect to their higher selves through bold and unapologetic creativity. She is known as a fierce en­ter­tainer with a contagious energy that can raise the vi­bra­tion of any space she performs in. Nick­named The Dyna for de­liv­er­ing en­ergy like food for the soul, Dynesti Williams in­vites you to feast on the bal­ance of unity and chaos through the fla­vor she describes as Hip-Hop/ Soul with a “dash” of Reggae.

5:40-6:10PM
Afrofest Dance-off, Multinational

 

6:15-6:30PM
Rawmny Wildcat Ethiopia

6:40-7:00PM Töme, Nigeria

“I am Enough. I am TÖME” With these powerful words you acquire more than just the meaning of the artists middle name (Tomi) you gain access to the essence of the artist Michelle Oluwatomi Akanbi. TÖME has spent the better part of the last year unearthing her sound, which is an exotic blend of French lyrics and sultry vocals on top of an eclectic blend of Afro, reggae, pop, hip-hop and R&B.

The artist blends her early influences Beyonce, Rihanna, Alecia Keys with the style of Jhene Aiko,Saz, Sade and Lauren Hill, to create a newly woven tapestry in her own personal sound. With this the artist explains, “I want to change the game musically in the mid-American industry by creating a genre still barely recognizable, AFRO-RnB”.

TÖME is boldly committed to giving an empowering voice to African Canadian French female artists through her songs and lyrics. “A lot of my lyrics revolve around broken relationships, but not broken women.”