About
Willis Pride is the proud sponsor of his own brand of funky soul music, which is guaranteed to keep you movin’ and groovin’. His music takes you on a journey inside the mind of a musician who struggled to comprehend the world around him, gave up, and then became content with playing awesome music with some of his super talented friends. Willis is a walking contradiction for he is reserved yet brutally honest, serious yet funny, calm and collected yet crazy and a realist romantic who is always very entertaining. His live performances are high energy and the musicianship leaves audiences impressed, engaged and always wanting more.
Bio
Willis Pride the pianist, singer, composer and arranger has been honing his skills for as long as he can remember. In 2010 he made the move to Montreal to begin his musical career. Ever since, Willis has not stopped setting himself apart by created a unique sound derived from multiple influences.
Enamored with his father’s vinyl collection, at an early age Willis decided to devote himself to jazz and later leave his native St. Pascal Baylon to study in Montreal. While studying jazz at Concordia University, he discovered his love for funk, soul and RnB, which became the foundation of his sound. His various influences include artists such as Stevie Wonder, Roy Hargrove, Oscar Peterson, Earth Wind and Fire, Ray Charles and The Beatles.
In 2014 Willis played at the Montreal International Jazz Festival thanks to the Montreal Jazz Festival Award he won at Concordia University. In 2015 he won the Public's choice award on the tv show Faites comme chez vous and launched his first Ep I Can Feel It. The quarter finalist from La Voix 5(Canadian version of The Voice), started 2018 in full swing by releasing his 2nd EP Wake Up, a powerful and stimulating listen that won't disappoint!