Empire ISIS: an up and comer in Montreal's reggae scene

The 27 year-old Montreal native, who first gained popularity in 2005 when she was nominated for “Most Promising Entertainer” award by the International Reggae & World Music Awards, credits the Bobo Shanti (mansions of Rastafarians) for giving her the idea to sing. “I was travelling across South America making a documentary and I ended up in Jamaica. It was there in the hills of the Bobo Shanti's that they pushed me to start singing.”

Although they're the same person, Empire ISIS and Miriam Moufide AbdelKrim are two totally different people. “Empire ISIS, my alter ego, is entirely different from Miriam. ISIS is a powerful woman who has a message to send to the world and isn't intimidated by others.

I grew up in a pan-Africanist house listening to Arabic and African music, and naturally music from the West Indies… As a result, my music is as different as my upbringing; it’s unique and I'll continue to make music that can't fit into a box because I can't fit into a box."

Despite opening for reggae legends like Elephant Man, Bounty Killa, Tanya Stephens, and Shabba Ranks, ISIS feels that the crowd takes a little while to warm up to her when she first gets on stage. “My brother once told me, I only make sense when you see me live. When I come up on stage they just sit there and stare, totally shocked. After the second song, they get into, and by the third they are really into it, jumping up and down.”

With hit songs like “Get up on it” and “Undercover” off her new album “Sound the Trumpets”,(the album will be re-released May 12th with 5 new tracks added on) ISIS’ list of accomplishments has been impressive. One accomplishment that she's particularly proud of is her SOBA award nominations. “I think it's great that Canada is awarding something like this and I'm proud to be part of it. I want to thank everyone at SOBA for nominating me for 3 awards (English revelation of the year, English song of the year: “Get up on it”, and artist or group music of the world) and having me perform.”

For more information on Empire ISIS, who is currently touring Jamaica, go to her website at www.empireisis.com, or go to her MySpace page at www.myspace.com/empireisis.