Meet Shay Lia, the French-East African Singer Writing Hits With Kaytranada

Original Story Published by: Shirley Ju for Okay Africa
Photo Source: ©Shay Lia

(Above) Shay Lia.

We talk to the Montreal-based singer about her youth in Djibouti, upcoming EP plans and much more.

Shay Lia might be one of the most humble and refreshing artists the game has seen in a long time. While the world may only recognize from Kaytranada records, it's time for the artist, born Shanice Dileita Mohamed, to shift gears and put her alias at the forefront.

Shay Lia was born in France before relocating to Djibouti, a country at the cusp of the Red Sea, at the age of four. It wasn't until she was 18-years-old that she moved to Canada, where the singer-songwriter discovered she could write songs while attending UQAM University in Montreal, a place she currently calls home.

Her signature sound lies in the melodies, whose ideas are often inspired by R&B;, funk, and soul. When it comes to the beat, she just needs a good bass and something to dance too. Juggling between three cultures, Shay Lia accepts her diverse identity and the wide array of influences absorbed from each. At two to three years old, she picked up her "American" ways from watching videos on YouTube, something she doesn't even notice when she sings.

Fast forward to 2018, Shay is featured on Kaytranada's new single "Chances" and unleashing her own record "The Cycle" produced by Sango, OkayAfrica caught up with Shay in between a busy day of studio sessions, taking full advantage of her time in sunny Los Angeles.

For those who don't know, who is Shay Lia?

Shay Lia is a R&B;/soul singer-songwriter based in Montreal. I'm from East Africa, that's where I grew up. I was born in France, so I am mixed. I'm Franco-Djibouti. Raised and spent all my life in Djibouti from 4 years old to 18. Montreal has been 6 years. I moved there to go to University, but that's also where I started. I wrote my first songs. I always loved music but that's where I discovered I really could write songs. It changed everything for me pretty much.