Sillasky, formerly known as Sillla; For this silky songstress, the sky’s the limit!

BY SIMONE J. SMITH

“The world is for you; take it!”

Have you ever truly listened to someone’s story? Not just heard the words, but felt the weight of their experiences, the texture of their emotions, the unique way they see the world? In those moments of deep listening, something extraordinary happens. A bridge is built, a connection forged, and a tiny piece of their soul is shared with yours.

When we dare to not only listen, but to amplify those voices, to share those stories with the world, we ignite a ripple effect of understanding. We offer others a chance to walk in someone else’s shoes, to see the world through a different lens, and perhaps, in doing so, find a new light within ourselves.

The power of her story isn’t just in the telling, it’s in the way it transformed both her and I, reshaping our understanding of the world, one shared experience at a time.

Community. Prepare to be captivated. This week we celebrate a woman whose very presence is a melody, a whisper of silk against the skin. Her voice, an angelic caress, capable of soothing the most troubled soul. Her style? Sensual, woven with threads of confidence and allure; always giving a lot, but not too much.

This award-winning Afro-fusion, R&B, and soul artist, recently crowned Best Ghana Canada Act 2024, doesn’t just sing – she emotes. Her music, a potent elixir of self-love, resilience, and raw emotional depth, draws its power from the rich soil of her African heritage. Sillasky’s evolution, her renaming, is more than a simple change; it’s a metamorphosis, a butterfly emerging with wings painted in vibrant Afrobeat hues, ready to soar.

She blends soulful melodies with rhythms that pulse like a heartbeat, creating a connection that transcends language and touches the very core of our being. Prepare to be enchanted, enthralled, and empowered by the magic that is Sillasky.

Born in Scarborough, Ontario, Canada, and raised in Pickering, Sillasky will tell you proudly that she was raised as an African young woman. “I lived in Ghana from the age of three years old to eight, and when my parents moved back from Africa, they went right into the suburbs.”

“I watched them work very hard. They showed my siblings and I the importance of aiming high. My parents both worked a lot because they were both entrepreneurs, which meant that my older sister had to take on the responsibility of a caregiver. Growing up in that vibration has made me do the things I do.”

There is always that pivotal moment or experience from someone’s childhood that sparks their passion. Sillasky shares hers.

“It was my sister who got me into music. I was introduced to old school R&B when I was really young, and then my family would go to African parties, and I would hear our type of music there.”

“From the time I can remember, I enjoyed singing; I would copy what I heard. My first cd’s were Lil Bow Wow, and Alicia Keys’ first album. I fell in love with ‘Falling.’ The first time I performed was in grade six. I used to sing a lot of Brandy songs, but I had to do a project, and I chose to sing Indie Arie’s song ‘Video.’ It was empowering for me. After I performed that song, people were like, ‘That was good!’  My first competition was Pickering Idol. I got second place, but people kept coming up to me to tell me that I should have won. I remember this one time that my sister and I went to a mall in Barrie Mall, and they had a talent show there.  I won. That win gave me the confidence to keep going.”

With that confidence, Sillasky began to open up herself to singing opportunities; you know weddings, events, mostly covers, but a change was coming, and this change happened when she went on a special trip to Ghana with her family.

“It was the one time we traveled together. It was one of my most memorable trips. My older brother brought me to a studio, and I met Jayso who happens to be a very popular producer. He gave me a beat and told me to do something with it. I went home, and was like, ‘What am I going to do?” This was how “Fantasy” was born. Jayso was blown away by what I had done, and when I brought it back to Canada, everyone loved it. My evolution continued; now I knew I was able to write my own music.”

During all of this, Sillasky got married, had some beautiful, baby girls, and had to deal with aches and pains that come with being human. At some points, her faith was tested.

“I started to do worship leadership at church, and unfortunately, I couldn’t continue because I sang secular music. I was forced to choose. I took a step back, and that was when my song “Thank you” came to be. I had this talent, I was there, sitting at home, with my daughters. I looked at them, and I wanted them to see that they could do anything. That song was dedicated to my children.”

“Four years ago, I had to do something that was very hard; I had to separate from my husband. It became very hard to juggle everything. After my separation, things changed dramatically in my career. I learned how to surround myself with people who were going to support me. It is important to keep good energy around you.”

“I began to perform more, and I wanted to work on my craft and get better. “Lonely” is the biggest song that I have ever released. It is what made me glow up and grow up. I appreciate that song, because it was about being vulnerable. People really took to this song, and someone offered to do a complimentary video. The real shock came when I heard my song on the radio. I was like, how did it get there?

One of the most recent evolutions was Sillasky’s name change. Once I heard her story, it all made sense.

“As an artist, I have wanted to evolve. I lost my sister last year; it really hit me hard. It reminded me of the grief I felt over my father’s death.”

“I was now the founder of Destined Serenity Entertainment. I now had the ability to uplift emerging talent and create platforms that celebrate Black excellence and diversity. This was when I realized that I was now a businesswoman. Since starting DSE, I have had the chance to put together some extremely successful events, and it allowed me to see that the Sky’s the limit.”

“In this industry, you have to keep your head up. I was grateful beyond words when I received the Best Ghana Canada Act Award last year. I was flown to New York, and now I was seeing how my efforts had paid off. I am still learning, and I educate myself daily. I will always remember something my dad used to say, ‘The world is for you; take it!’ I had to distinguish myself as an artist.”

Sillasky ended our talk with some advice for young African/Caribbean artists who are trying to find their voice,

“Don’t be so hard on yourself; be authentic and let God guide you!”