Naya Ali
Ethiopian-born, Canadian-raised rapper Naya Ali is an award-winning hip-hop artist who first broke through in 2018 with her debut EP Higher Self. Known for her assertive, raspy delivery and precision flow, she quickly became recognized as a singular voice in Canadian rap.
Her rise accelerated with the release of Godspeed: Baptism (2020) and Godspeed: Elevated (2021), the latter earning ADISQ’s English Album of the Year and GAMIQ’s Rap Album of the Year. Critics took notice: CBC Music called her “one of the most compelling new voices in Canadian hip-hop,” Complex praised her “firepower and vision to transcend borders,” and Rolling Stone Québec described her as “a magnetic force reshaping the future of Quebec rap.”
Ali’s second studio album, We Did the Damn Thing—released in February 2025—reflects a natural evolution. Still rooted in rap but unbound by genre, the project explores an avant-garde sonic environment fusing gospel, Afro-pop, soul, and Ali’s signature grit. As Exclaim! wrote, it is “a fearless, genre-bending statement from an artist stepping fully into her power.”
Born in Ethiopia and raised in Montreal, Ali initially pursued a traditional professional path before ultimately choosing to dedicate herself fully to music—a leap that deepened her commitment to authenticity, risk-taking, and creative freedom.
Today, Ali stands as an artist expanding beyond any singular definition. Rap remains central to her identity, but her work now reflects a broader pursuit of expression and evolution. She’s not just taking space—she’s redefining it.
Her rise accelerated with the release of Godspeed: Baptism (2020) and Godspeed: Elevated (2021), the latter earning ADISQ’s English Album of the Year and GAMIQ’s Rap Album of the Year. Critics took notice: CBC Music called her “one of the most compelling new voices in Canadian hip-hop,” Complex praised her “firepower and vision to transcend borders,” and Rolling Stone Québec described her as “a magnetic force reshaping the future of Quebec rap.”
Ali’s second studio album, We Did the Damn Thing—released in February 2025—reflects a natural evolution. Still rooted in rap but unbound by genre, the project explores an avant-garde sonic environment fusing gospel, Afro-pop, soul, and Ali’s signature grit. As Exclaim! wrote, it is “a fearless, genre-bending statement from an artist stepping fully into her power.”
Born in Ethiopia and raised in Montreal, Ali initially pursued a traditional professional path before ultimately choosing to dedicate herself fully to music—a leap that deepened her commitment to authenticity, risk-taking, and creative freedom.
Today, Ali stands as an artist expanding beyond any singular definition. Rap remains central to her identity, but her work now reflects a broader pursuit of expression and evolution. She’s not just taking space—she’s redefining it.
France : Emmanuel Vincentelli
Belgique : Maxime Lhussier
Emmanuel Vincentelli / manu@polyrock.fr Maxime Lhussier / Odessa Maison d'Artistes https://www.odessamusic.be/artists/
SOCIAL
MUSIC
