Wesli’s musical journey has gone from stringing up an oil can with nylon fishing string to winning a JUNO for World Music Album of the Year in 2019. Born Wesley Louissaint in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, he has grown into his role as a prolific songwriter, guitarist, and producer. Uniting a large cross-section of Montreal talent, his music links Haitian voudou and rara with roots, Afrobeat and hip-hop – guest spots on his albums include the likes of Tiken Jah Fakoly, Mes Aïeux, Paul Cargnello and Radio Radio.
Since being crowned the Revelation Radio-Canada for 2009–2010, Wesli has gone on to win the Babel Med Music Prize (2010), SOCAN’s Hagood Hardy Award (2016), an award from the Académie Charles CROS (2019), a Juno for World Music (2019), a Félix for Album of the Year in World Music (2019), and a CFMA for World Solo Artist of the Year (2020). He has toured across North America, Haiti, Colombia, Brazil, and Europe, and participated in WOMEX, Mundial Montréal and Cape Verde’s Atlantic Music Expo.
His 7th album, Tradisyon, explores traditional chants from the voodoo religion, explosive carnival rara rhythms and lilting, folksy twoubadou songs.