Witch Prophet

Witch Prophet
Birth nameEtmet Musa
Also known asAyo Leilani
BornOctober 8, 1982
LabelsHeart Lake Records, 88 Days of Fortune
Websitewww.WitchProphet.com

Etmet Musa,[1][2] also known by her alias Ayo Leilani and her stage name Witch Prophet,[3] is an Ethiopian/Eritrean musician based in Toronto, Ontario.[4][5] As Witch Prophet, she has released 3 albums: The Golden Octave (2018), DNA Activation (2020), and Gateway Experience (2023).[6][7][8] She co-founded and is the co-director of 88 Days of Fortune, a collective based in Toronto since 2009 that rebranded as Heart Lake Records in 2018.[9][10] She also is a member of Above Top Secret, an electro-hip hop group.[11][12] Above Top Secret has released three studio albums since 2010.[13][14] DNA Activation was shortlisted for the 2020 Polaris Music Prize.[15] In 2021, she released a new song "Leilani", which appeared on the deluxe edition of DNA Activation.[16] The deluxe edition was released July 23, 2021.[17] Her third album as Witch Prophet, entitled Gateway Experience, was released May 1st, 2023.[18] The first single from the album, "Energy Vampire", was released on February 23, 2023 and featured DillanPonders.[18] Gateway Experience was longlisted for the 2023 Polaris Music Prize.[19]

She is the subject of Loveleen Kaur's 2023 documentary film Leilani's Fortune,[20] which won the Audience Award for Best Documentary Film at the 2023 Inside Out Film and Video Festival.[21] In the same year, she was also one of several subjects profiled in the documentary film Coven.[22]

Discography

[edit]

With Above Top Secret

[edit]

Studio albums

[edit]
  • dis rupt dis reality, (2010)
  • Siren Songs (2012)
  • Above Top Secret (2016)

As Witch Prophet

[edit]

Studio albums

[edit]
  • The Golden Octave (2018)
  • DNA Activation (2020)
  • Gateway Experience (2023)

EPs

[edit]
  • H.P.B. (2016)[23]
  • Architect of Heartbreak Remixes (2017)[24]

References

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  1. ^ "Witch Prophet on Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved 2020-08-19.
  2. ^ "Montreal rapper Backxwash wins Polaris for best Canadian album". Montreal. 2020-10-20. Retrieved 2021-06-21.
  3. ^ Gathright, Jenny (20 March 2017). "'Listen,' Witch Prophet Wants You To Heal". NPR.org. Retrieved 2020-03-31.
  4. ^ "Witch Prophet Sets Release Show for 'DNA Activation'". exclaim.ca. Retrieved 2020-03-31.
  5. ^ "Witch Prophet on uncovering her East African queer roots". Xtra Magazine. 2020-02-06. Retrieved 2020-03-31.
  6. ^ Stanley, Laura (2020-03-24). "Review: Witch Prophet's DNA Activation shows the power of family in dark times". NOW Magazine. Retrieved 2020-03-31.
  7. ^ "Stream Witch Prophet's New Album 'DNA Activation'". exclaim.ca. Retrieved 2020-03-31.
  8. ^ "Witch Prophet Challenges Genre, Reveals Past Lives and Finds Creative Safe Space on 'The Golden Octave'". exclaim.ca. Retrieved 2020-03-31.
  9. ^ Parris, Amanda (February 19, 2016). "88 Days of Fortune collectively changed Toronto hip-hop. Has its luck run out?". CBC Arts.
  10. ^ Warner, Andrea. "Queering the Canadian music industry". CBC Music.
  11. ^ "Queer musician Witch Prophet creates inclusive hip-hop scene". CBC Radio. August 10, 2018.
  12. ^ MacDonald, Sarah (2016-06-13). "Toronto's Above Top Secret Need You to Start Paying Attention to the Murders of Indigenous Women on "BANG"". Vice. Retrieved 2020-03-31.
  13. ^ Ritchie, Kevin (2016-08-03). "Above Top Secret". NOW Magazine. Retrieved 2020-03-31.
  14. ^ "Above Top Secret Above Top Secret". exclaim.ca. Retrieved 2020-03-31.
  15. ^ Yoo, Noah (15 July 2020). "Polaris Prize 2020 Short List: U.S. Girls, Lido Pimienta, Kaytranada". Pitchfork. Retrieved 2020-07-16.
  16. ^ "Witch Prophet's 'Leilani' Is A Daring Song Of Forgiveness". Clash Magazine. 18 June 2021. Retrieved 2021-06-21.
  17. ^ "Witch Prophet on Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved 2021-06-21.
  18. ^ a b Assalay, Richie (April 29, 2023). "Witch Prophet sees the future". Toronto Star.
  19. ^ "2023 Polaris Music Prize long list: Feist, Jessie Reyez and more". CBC Music, June 13, 2023.
  20. ^ Rachel Ho, "Inside Out 2023: Witch Prophet Sets 'Leilani's Fortune' Apart from Other Music Docs". Exclaim!, May 29, 2023.
  21. ^ Valerie Complex, "InsideOut 2SLGBTQ+ Film Festival Announces 2023 Award Winners". Deadline Hollywood, June 6, 2023.
  22. ^ Alisha Mughal, "'Coven' Explores an Uncommon Magic with Softness and Empathy". Exclaim!, May 7, 2023.
  23. ^ "Toronto's Witch Prophet is finally putting herself first". Red Bull. Retrieved 2020-03-31.
  24. ^ Streeter, Mark (2017-03-21). "Toronto's Witch Prophet talks Seattle weed, grunge and her new remix EP". NOW Magazine. Retrieved 2020-03-31.
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