About Wesli

Biography

An Haitian Born Musician

One of eight children raised in a home where music was a big part of daily life, it became a second nature to him, a way to escape the misery that surrounded him.

Wesli (Wesley Louissaint) built his first guitar out of an old NGO-provided oil can and nylon shoe lace when he was just eight years old.

Be it in an acoustic formation (guitar, voice and percussion) or with his bigger band, Wesli consistently delivers a rich, festive and uniquely engaging sound. He conquers the heart of his audience through complex musical arrangements and universal messages of hope, truth and peace.

Critics have crowned him “the most formidable creature in world music Montreal presently has to offer the rest of the plant” (Alain Brunet, La Presse). Bringing together a wide range of Montreal talents, Wesli's music unites Haitian voodoo and rara
styles with roots, Afrobeat and hip-hop styles.

CareerHighlights

Wesli produced and recorded the album Horizon with SoKute. Their soul music gathered wide success and even made them famous outside Haiti.

The release of his second album, Liberté dans le noir, in December 2011, has confirmed those affirmations. The 17 tracks feature duos with many major bands and artists: the great Tiken Jah Fakoly, Mes Aieux, Radio Radio, Paul Cargnello, Boogat and Karma Atchykah.

Already it has garnered major success:

  • Top 25 Album of the year 2011, Voir.ca newspaper (barely 6 days after its release)
  • Top 3 World Music Album of the Year 2011, Le Devoir newspaper 4.5 stars
  • Album Ranking, Voir.ca 4 stars
  • Album Ranking, 24h Montréal.
  • The song « Né sous le soleil » was Top #1 for over a week, followed by Top #2, right behind La Bottine Souriante over the holidays 2011, EspaceMusique.ca

Moreover, Wesley Louissaint has produced, composed and arranged musical creations for films, including CBC’s documentary about Dany Laferrière. He composed, with Arianne Moffat, Nomadic Massive and Doba, the popular song « Nap chante pou Ayiti » the day after the earthquake in Haiti, on January 12th 2010.

AWARDS

2020 Canadian Folk Music Awards

Artist of the year – World Music - Solo

2020 Independent Music Awards

World Trad song of the year - Lole Lole Remix

2019 Adisq – World Music Album

2019 Juno Award – World Music

Show Rentree Photo Bastien Carrière-147

2019 Prix Coup de Cœur Académie Charles CROS

2017 Dynasty World Music Award

2016 Socan Music Award Hagood Hardy

2011 Galaxy Rising Star London

2010 Prix Babel Med Music France

What People Say?

«Wesli played to the biggest crowd of the whole festival, such is his popularity… His prime-time billing demanded a prime-time performance – and we were not to be disappointed. »

Songlines

United Kingdom
«Il est devenu un artiste emblématique de la scène montréalaisse... Un artiste authentique à suivre »

5 planètes

France
«Il est devenu un artiste emblématique de la scène montréalaisse... Un artiste authentique à suivre »

5 planètes

France
«La plus redoutable créature world qu'offre actuellement Montréal au reste de la planète »

Alain Brunet, La Presse

Québec
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Amanda Davis

Drums
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Fred Bailey

Acoustic
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John Worth

Guitar
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GEORGE SMITH

Vocal
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Jonathan Hill

Acoustic
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GEORGE SMITH

Electronic