Malika Sellami is a singer song-writer who roams around the world with her guitar. In admiration of nature's elements, she manifests love along the way.
While dancing barefoot in the meadows, surfing ocean waves, or walking outside common paths, Malika gets inspired by the connections she makes, and by the experiences she lives. She learns to embrace each ephemeral moment and share it with the world, in songs with lively heartfelt lyrics and catchy loving melodies.
On the way from Quebec city, where she grew up and taught as a Drama teacher, to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, where she decided to settle down (when she is not wandering around), she changed her approach to music and art. Formerly a teacher, Malika decided to pour herself into writing and performing music.
After winning Le Gala Fransaskois de la Chanson, a contest organized by the Saskatchewan francophone association, in 2009, for best composition and performance, she was a finalist to Chant' Ouest, the western Canadian francophone performing contest in Edmonton, Alberta. In July 2009, Malika released her first EP: Manifest some Love and toured Canada with another Saskatoon song writer and Jazz singer, Gillian Snider.
After touring parts of North America a few times, her curiosity, and thirst for learning new languages and cultures, pushed her itchy feet to South America, where she played several shows and found more inspiration.
In July 2011 she engaged local Saskatoon musicians in a playful recording project, an inspired CD where she puts her experiences traveling into 9 songs recorded over four days at Ancient Spirals Retreat, overlooking the South Saskatchewan river. The landscape and intimate settings provided a wellspring of inspiration and collaboration.
2012 is the year for Malika to release Barefoot, Smiling, her second album. With songs like "Prairie Love" which captures the wonders and beauty of the prairie skies, "Free Spirits Apart" or "Little Daisy" which share love stories, Barefoot Smiling is a collection of postcards put into songs. Barefoot, Smiling is about the road and the people you meet while travelling, homesickness and finding new homes, discovery and loss. Barefoot, Smiling finds Malika expressing herself not only in her second language English, but also her native French and newfound Spanish.
On Barefoot, Smiling, Malika’s ubiquitous acoustic strumming and powerful heartfelt voice are complemented by the tasteful lead guitar of Peter Abonyi. Matthew McLaughlin’s compelling rhythms on the drum kit and congas, and Joey Lorer’s electric and standup bass playing, provide the foundation, with Saskatoon veteran musicians Gillian Snider and Sam Mitchell on accordion and mandolin respectively. Barefoot, Smiling was co-produced by Malika Sellami and Jesse Selkirk of Green Bottle Street, the Depth, and Soma. Jesse provided invaluable contributions to the songs’ composition and realization, as well as backup vocals on 3 songs.
Now playing with a full band around Saskatoon, she is ready to hit the road again in the Spring with her next tour, to the Pacific Ocean and back to the Prairies.
Press
Contest "Engages-toi with National Film Board - Reporter: Andreanne Germain - March 2009
http://blogue.onf.ca/engage-toi/tag/fleurs-fanees/
BLOG Jerome Nicolas
http://www.jnicolas.name/2009/08/concert-malika-sellami-quebec/
Featured on Teknomadics website - January 2011:
http://teknomadics.com/2011/01/5-things-you-should-not-hit-the-road-without/
Moi, Ma musique (30 minutes interview) - Aired on September 5 2011 - Radio Canada
http://www.radio-canada.ca/emissions/moi_ma_musique/2010-2011/a_propos.asp
Achievements
Winner of "Le Gala Fransaskois de la Chanson" in May 2009 for best performer and best song "Fleurs Fanées"
Finalist at "Chant' Ouest" in Edmonton in August 2009, (vocal and performance training with experts)
Ness Creek Festival performance July 2009, (main stage tweener set and workshop with international musicians)
Emma Collaborative - Ness Creek Site, August 2010 (a collaboration with many other artists of all kinds for the 4 corners of the world )
