Kaïa Kater

Québec

Kaïa Kater

🇨🇦

Kaïa Kater 🇨🇦

Montreal-born Grenadian-Canadian Kaïa Kater’s jazz-infused voice and songwriting have earned acclaim from NPR’s Tiny Desk, The Guardian, Rolling Stone, and No Depression. Drawing from her diverse background, Kaïa blends influences from Quebec, the Caribbean, and Appalachia, reflecting her ties to the Canadian folk scene, her college years in West Virginia, her father’s Grenadian roots, and her work in film composition. Kaïa debuted with Old Soul (2013), followed by Sorrow Bound (2015), Nine Pin (2016), and Grenades (2018), the latter long-listed for the Polaris Music Prize. Grenades explored her Caribbean heritage and her father’s refugee experience in Canada. Her JUNO Award-winning album Strange Medicine (2024) was created during a period of self-reflection and reinvention. It celebrates women and oppressed peoples while reflecting on her own life. The album features cinematic arrangements and collaborations with Taj Mahal, Allison Russell, and Aoife O’Donovan.