Women In Song
Co-presented by TO Live
MERIDIAN ARTS CENTRE, March 7th, 2025
On the eve of International Women’s Day, TO Live and FabCollab present the 12th edition of the spectacular hit concert series, Women In Song. Vocalists and dancers are joined by the house band—beloved Toronto-based global music ensemble Ventanas—for a party, celebrating cultural traditions from Canada and around the world. Collaborating live on stage for one night only, the artists bring together disparate artistic practices in celebration of the incredible accomplishments of women around the world.
SINGERS:
Measha Brueggergosman-Lee
Tia Wood
Zeb Bangash
DANCERS:
Indigenous fancy shawl/contemporary collaborative dancer: Cotee Harper
Flamenco: Lia Grainger and Virginia Castro
Hip hop: Safa Ali
Indonesian Legong: Arma Dharma
VENTANAS HOUSE BAND:
Musical director, electric bass, bass veena, and upright: Justin Gray
Flamenco guitar: Benjamin Barrile
Cello: Beth Silver
Saxophone: Alison Au
Electric guitar: Heather Crawford
Drums: Marito Marques
Percussion: Rosendo “Chendy” León
Grand piano: Jeremy Ledbetter
Vocals: Tamar Ilana
Past Shows
Women In Song - LAVAZZA IncluCity (Free Admission)
THE DISTILLERY DISTRICT, July 1st, 2024, 4:30pm-600pm
A 17-artist extravaganza with a Latin flair, celebrating women singers and dancers from around the world. Women in Song features a powerful international line-up of women vocalists, dancers and musicians representing cultural traditions from around the world. Collaborating live on stage, they bring together disparate artistic practices in celebration of the incredible accomplishments of women in the arts. Ventanas will accompany the singers throughout the evening, which is sure to have you on your feet and grooving.
SINGERS:
Eliana Cuevas (Venezuela)
Aline Morales (Brazil)
Ana Lia (Dominican Republic)
DANCERS:
Lia Grainger (Flamenco)
Cotee Harper (Fancy Shawl/Collaborative Dance Artist)
Dailyn Martinez (Salsa)
VENTANAS HOUSE BAND:
Tyler Emond - (Bass)
Benjamin Barrile (Flamenco Guitar)
Demetri Petsalakis (Oud and Keys)
Chendy Leon (Precussion)
Marito Marques (Drums)
Anh Phung (Flute)
Jessica Deutsch (Violin)
Women In Song 10
Live at the Lula Lounge, Thursday, March 7th, 8:00pm, 2024
On the eve of International Women's Day, Fabcollab presents the 10th edition of their spectacular hit concert series, Women in Song, live at Lula Lounge. Women in Song features a powerful international line-up of women vocalists, dancers and musicians representing cultural traditions from around the world. Collaborating live on stage, they bring together disparate artistic practices in celebration of the incredible accomplishments of women around the world. FabCollab’s award-winning house band Ventanas will accompany the singers throughout the evening, which is guaranteed to have you on your feet an grooving!
OPENER:
Alyssa and Conlin Delbaere-Sawchuk (Métis Fiddle)
SINGERS:
Luanda Jones (Brazilian bossa nova/funk/jazz)
Carine au Micro (African jazz/soul)
Miranda Mulholland (Roots/Bluegrass)
DANCERS:
Veronica Simpson (Tap)
Seanna Bailey (Contemporary)
Caroline Mateus (Hip Hop/House/Fusion)
VENTANAS HOUSE BAND:
Tyler Emond - (Bass)
Benjamin Barrile (Flamenco Guitar)
Demetri Petsalakis (Oud and Keys)
Marito Marques(Drums)
Tamar Ilana (Vocals)
Yeti "Lady Son" Yetunde (Percussion)
Women In Song - Summer Thunder (Free Admission)
Live at the Small World Music Festival at Trillium Park, July 9th, 2023
Promo Video
Women In Song - To Support Syria and Turkey
Live at the LULA LOUNGE, March 8th, 2023
Watch the Show
Promo Video
Women In Song - Summer Thunder
Live at the Small World Music Festival at Fort York, September 18th, 2022
Women In Song - LA VUELTA
Live at the LULA LOUNGE, MARCH 27th, 2022
Watch the Show
Show Promo Video
Show Banner
FabCollab’s signature event series is back, with 14 incredible global women performing artists, collaborating as never before. Women in Song: La Vuelta (The Return) celebrate the return of spring, warm weather, togetherness, and in-person live music at Lula Lounge on Sunday March 27. So put away that parka, dust off your dancing shoes, and join us!
The stacked evening features four incredible lead singers: Lady Yetunde (Cuban Salsa), Aviva Chernick (Contemporary Ladino Folk), Shirley “La Pili” Pincay (Flamenco/Latin), and Dimitra Kahrimanidis (Greek).
Percussionist Naghmeh Farahmand and tar player Padideh Ahrarnejad will also take the stage, bringing a Persian flair to the evening, as on March 27 we also celebrate Nowruz, or Persian New Year.
All of the singers are also skilled musicians or accompanists, and musical director Demetri Petsalakis is orchestrating an evening filled with joyful collaborations and improvisations.
As always, our lineup of singers will be accompanied by FabCollab’s award winning house band, Ventanas. The evening will also feature performances by six incredible Toronto dancers and choreographers, including Dailyn Martinez (salsa), Anuka Toma (belly dance), Virginia Castro (flamenco), and a special surprise guest dancer.
Lula Lounge will serve both food and drinks, and audiences who come early can enjoy the live music of singer and songwriter Ana Lía (Latin Pop fusion), who will play an opening set during dinner.
The entire evening will also be livestreamed, as always, through FabCollab’s own website and Facebook page, but also through our streaming partners, the National Arts Centre, Small World Music, Lula Lounge, and the Aga Khan Museum. Women in Song is made possible thanks to the generous support of the Canada Council for the Arts, Canadian Heritage and the Ontario Arts Council.
Women In Song - STRANGE DARLINGS
Live from the AGA KHAN MUSEUM, OCTOBER 2nd, 2021
On Saturday, October 2, FabCollab will present the fourth edition of its hit hybrid livestream and in-person festival, Women in Song. The one-night-only event will take place at the breathtaking Aga Khan Museum -- the first event of its kind at the museum since March 2020 -- and will see four of the city’s most sought-after global music singers paired with four incredible dancers and choreographers, combining wildly different genres.
The festival is presented in partnership with the Aga Khan Museum with support from Canada Council for the Arts, Canadian Heritage, Ontario Arts Council and the City of Toronto SPARK Cultural Hotspot, along with streaming partners the Aga Khan Museum, Small World Music and the National Arts Centre.
Women in Song: Strange Darlings showcases the diversity and talent of the city’s global music and dance scene by pairing disparate singers with contrasting dancers who have each been commissioned to create a new choreographic work to accompany the singer with which they have been partnered. The innovative pairings are:
Suba Sankaran (Indo-Fusion) - Cotee Harper (Indigenous fancy shawl dance), Tara Moneka (Arabic Fusion) - Paromita Kar (classical Indian dance), Nicky Lawrence (Blues) - Aria Evans (contemporary dance), Brenna McCrimmon (Turkish Folk) - Sofí Gudiño (contemporary flamenco dance)
The performers will be backed by some of the city’s most sought-after musicians of the award-winning global music ensemble Ventanas.
The evening will also feature a very special guest appearance by FabCollab resident flamenco duo Tamar Ilana and Lia Grainger, who will be performing traditional flamenco pieces peppered with surprises.
Women In Song - SUMMER THUNDER
Live Stream Festival,July 11th, 2021
On Sunday July 11, FabCollab will present the third edition of its hit livestream festival, Women in Song. Only this time – and for the first time – it will be streamed to the world from a spectacular outdoor venue. The festival is presented in partnership with the Music Performance Trust Fund, the City of Toronto, Ontario Arts Council, Guild Festival Theatre, streaming partners Lula Lounge, Small World Music and the National Arts Centre, and with support from Canadian Heritage and the City of Toronto Arts and Culture SPARK Project. This will be the first Women in Song event held outdoors, under the stars, and among the breathtaking sculptural ruins of Guild Park in Scarborough, Ontario. Hosted by Afro-Indigenous, 2Spirit, queer activist Nenookaasi Ogichidaa, Women in Song: Summer Thunder features five of Toronto’s top global music performers: 2021 Juno-winners OKAN (Afro-Cuban roots and jazz), Meesha Shafi (NeoSufi/Folk), Aline Morales (Afro-Brazilian percussion and song), Aqua Nibii Waawaaskone (IndigiBlues), and salsa dancer Dailyn Martinez of Shum de Salsa. The performers will be backed by some of the city’s most sought-after musicians and will take the stage in four 20-minute live-stream sets throughout the evening, all completely free-of-charge and peppered with surprise performances.
While the event is free, donations will be accepted through the FabCollab website, and 50% of all proceeds will go to Water First, an organization working to resolve water challenges in Indigenous communities.
Women In Song - A Celebration of International Women's Day
FabCollab Production
Live Stream Festival,Mar 28th, 2021
On Sunday March 28, FabCollab will present the second
edition of its hit livestream festival, Women In Song. The festival is presented in partnership with the Musicians’ Performance Trust Fund, producing partners, Lula Lounge and Small World Music in Toronto, and with support from Canadian Heritage. Hosted by world music singer and dancer, Tamar Ilana, Women In Song: A Celebration of International Women’s Day features five of Toronto’s top world music frontwomen: Amanda Martinez (Latin/Jazz/Pop) accompanied by two of Canada’s Ballet Jörgen dancers, Jessica Hana Deutsch (Indie Pop), Maryem Tollar (Arabic/Global), Tamar Ilana (Global Flamenco) and Indigenous Fancy Shawl dancer, Cotee Harper. The performers will be backed by some of the city’s most sought-after musicians and will take the stage in four 20-minute live-stream sets throughout the evening, all completely free-of-charge.
Concert Promo
Women In Song
FabCollab Production
Live Stream Festival, 9th Aug, 2020
Concert Recap
Concert Promo
On Sunday, August 9, 2020, FabCollab launched its first live-streamed festival: Women in Song. The day-long festival was presented in partnership with the Musicians’ Performance Trust Fund, CBC Toronto and Small World Centre. Hosted by CBC Toronto Reporter Lisa Xing, Women in Song featured Toronto’s top world music artists in six 30-minute livestream sets throughout the day, all completely free-of-charge. Each set featured an acclaimed Toronto female artist from a different musical background and genre, all backed by Toronto’s own multicultural band, Tamar Ilana & Ventanas. The event was live streamed only once.
In the Press
CBC Toronto, Imprint Magazine, FYI Musician
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