Zaynab Wilson
Born in Montréal into a family steelpan band, Zaynab Wilson sings and drums an Afro-Caribbean soul that searches for — and finds — the way home
Biography
Zaynab Wilson is a Canadian-Trinidadian singer, drummer and composer, born in Montréal and raised at the heart of her family’s steelpan band. Drums, steelpan, ukulele, cajón and voice: the multi-instrumentalist has turned her Afro-Caribbean heritage into a blended soul, between R&B, reggae, folk and improvisation. Her collective ensemble carries a name that states the project: MoZayic.
Trained in drums at Humber College (2014), she also completed a Bachelor of Music Education at Memorial University in 2026. Before and alongside her singer-songwriter project, launched in 2018, the drummer has toured with Lorraine Klaasen, Alysha Brilla, Jason Wilson, Martin Carthy, Dave Swarbrick and Pee Wee Ellis, and played the Woodford Folk Festival (Australia), the Hillside Festival and Celtic Connections (Scotland); her songs have toured Canada, the United States and Australia.
Based in St. John’s, she released the EP A Way Home in 2025 — opened by the single “Migration” — which earned her the 2025 MusicNL R&B Artist of the Year award and praise from Caribbean Beat magazine for its look at diaspora, heritage and home. Her first full-length album, supported by the Canada Council for the Arts, is announced for spring 2027.
Upcoming dates
- Wednesday November 18, 2026 — Vitrine officielle — Mundial Montréal 2026 (après-midi) · Maison des Arts Participatifs, Montréal (Canada) — Official page ↗
Public dates — collected from the artist's official channels on November 9, 2026.
Discography
A Way Home (EP, 2025) · First full-length album announced for spring 2027
Gallery
On stage
- 18 November 2026, 3:40 p.m. — Montréal, Maison des Arts Participatifs — official Mundial Montréal showcase, with her MoZayic project
- 28 December 2026, 9 p.m. — St. John’s (Newfoundland and Labrador), Delta Ballroom — The Dardanelles Christmas Dance, with The Put-Togethers
- Spring 2027 — release of the first full-length album (announced)
On video — their Mundial Montréal 2026 showcase
The official presentation video of Zaynab Wilson for Mundial Montréal 2026: Wednesday, November 18, 2026 · 3:40 p.m. · Maison des Arts Participatifs, Montreal. Video © Mundial Montréal — provided to Festival TV in the festival's official media kit.