Thursday 16 October 2025
Ammoye Electrifies Shenkman Arts Centre with a Night of Soul and Spirit
By Ijeoma Ukazu
In the evening of October 16, the Shenkman Arts Centre Orléans came alive with rhythmic vibrations and soulful melodies as Ammoye took to the stage. The seven-time JUNO Award nominee delivered a dazzling performance that left the audience spellbound, her radiant energy connecting deeply with fans from all walks of life.
The Jamaican-Canadian artist’s live performance was more than entertainment—it was an exceptional experience. With every beat and lyric of songs like “Sorry,” which launched her career, “Rock,” “You Belong,” and “Light,” among others, Ammoye stunned the audience with her powerful voice and meaningful lyrics.
Ammoye reminded the crowd why her genre of reggae fusion continues to transcend boundaries. Her talent, she said during an interview with the Black Ottawa Scene, was first recognized by her grandmother in Clarendon, Jamaica, and has evolved into a powerful global voice for love, unity, and social consciousness. “My grandmother encouraged me to join the choir because she said I had the voice for singing,” Ammoye recalls. That early spark set her on a path that would one day lead to the world’s biggest stages.
Before her set began, Jahn Fawcett, manager of the Shenkman Arts Centre, took a moment to welcome the audience. He encouraged everyone to follow Ammoye on social media and support her journey, setting the tone for an evening filled with dynamic sound and soul-lifting messages.
Ammoye’s artistry is deeply rooted in her Jamaican heritage and spiritual worldview. “While growing up in Clarendon, I was raised in the church,” she says. “The only non-gospel music my grandmother allowed was Bob Marley’s reggae.” That unique blend of gospel, soul, and roots reggae would later inspire her signature “reggae fusion” style, a seamless mix of reggae, R&B, and world music that carries her unmistakable sound.
Her dedication and creativity have earned her recognition at home and abroad. In 2024, she was named Female Vocalist of the Year at the Reggae North Music Awards, and she also serves as a Grammy Academy voting member. Her songs explore themes of compassion, forgiveness, empowerment, and social justice, messages that resonate across borders and generations.
But Ammoye’s story isn’t just about accolades; it’s about transformation. For her, music is both an artistic and spiritual journey. “Everything changed in 2012,” she recalls. “That’s when my career and my consciousness shifted after I lost my voice due to excessive smoking. After one year of not singing or speaking, I was finally ready, and the universe said, ‘Okay, she’s ready now.’”
That turning point came through the power of self-belief and daily affirmations. Some of her favourites include “I am worthy. I am loved. I am living my divine purpose. I am abundant. I am in my highest and best timeline. I am healthy. I am youthing.”
Her forthcoming album, The Shift, slated for release next year, and her upcoming book, Book of Affirmations, both reflect this personal awakening. “Humanity is waking up,” Ammoye explains. “The old, toxic systems are falling away. We’re creating a new world, and this album represents that transformation.”
Ammoye likens the world’s current chaos to a natural healing process. “It’s like when a wound turns into pus,” she says thoughtfully. “You have to get through the ugly part before it heals. That’s what we’re seeing now, all the wars, fear, and noise are revealing what’s been swept under the rug. Once we face it, we can heal and move forward.”
Her faith in renewal and her gift for musical storytelling come together through a meticulous creative process. Ammoye writes her songs herself, drawing inspiration through meditation and nature. “I go into a meditative space,” she says. “I connect with my inner self, my ‘inner net,’ my guides, and my source. I listen, and the ideas come. Then I write them on paper and later on wax. The rest,” she adds with a smile, “is her-story—not history, but her-story.”
Her upcoming album, The Shift, will feature about 13 songs chosen from nearly two albums’ worth of material she’s recorded over the past year. “I love to create,” she says. “Writing is my favourite part. You start from nothing and come out with something beautiful. As I grow, my ideas expand. There’s always more insight, more to share.”
Much of that inspiration comes from nature, her most consistent muse. Ammoye says. “I love being by water. I’m an earth baby. The birds, the trees, the wind—they wake me up and fuel my creativity. Everything flows.”
Living in Toronto, she and her partner make it a point to reconnect with nature daily. “We cycle out to our favourite park every morning while it’s warm. We walk barefoot on the grass and lie under the trees in the sun. The sun is medicine, it activates us and raises our frequencies. That’s my remedy for life.”
Ammoye’s spirituality isn’t separate from her art; it’s the heartbeat of her sound. “Music is vibration,” she says. “It’s medicine. It’s how we heal ourselves and shift consciousness.”
Her vision for The Shift extends beyond personal reflection; it’s a call to collective awakening. “This album is a mirror,” she says. “It’s an invitation for people to remember who they are—beings of light, love, and creation. We’re shifting from the old world into the new.”
