Alessia Earns Canada’s Walk of Fame Slaight Music Impact Honour
Alessia Cara's global success has won both praise and respect from fans for her uplifting message songs that offer a counterpoint to toxic social media messages that can warp young people's feelings of self-worth. Her Walk of Fame honour is to be bestowed on her at a Toronto gala on Nov. 23.
By David Farrell
Canada’s Walk of Fame announced today that Grammy and Juno-winning singer-songwriter Alessia Cara will receive its 2019 Allan Slaight Music Impact Honour at Canada’s Walk of Fame Awards show at Toronto’s Convention Centre on November 23.
Music Impact has been added to this distinction (formerly known as the Allan Slaight Honour) to shine greater light on a Canadian artist who has had a significant music influence at home and around the world.
“Alessia Cara’s soulful, expressive songwriting and artistry makes her a voice for her generation. She has the remarkable ability to inspire, unite, and bring important issues that affect today’s youth to the forefront through her music,” says Jeffrey Latimer, CEO of Canada’s Walk of Fame. “Alessia’s powerful campaign with I Am That Girl has made a positive impact in changing social conversations, and empowering young women everywhere. We are incredibly proud to celebrate and recognize Alessia with the Allan Slaight Music Impact Honour at this year’s 2019 Canada’s Walk of Fame Awards.”
“Such a genuine honour to be recognized this way by my home country. Knowing that I’ve made any impact at all, let alone something of this capacity feels incredible,” says Alessia Cara. “I’m so proud to represent Canada in any way I can, and I hold this one super close to my heart. The 15-year-old me wouldn’t have believed it.”
Canada’s only Best New Artist Grammy Award winner and Canadian singer/songwriter and Def Jam Recordings artist, Cara hit it out-of-the-box with her global anthem, Here, in 2014. Cara’s first release became a top 5 hit on Billboard’s Hot 100. A five-track EP, Four Pink Walls, soon followed before the release of the full-length certified platinum Know-It-All. Her multi-platinum hit single Scars to Your Beautiful is Cara’s emotive message song warning her youthful audience not to buy into the beauty industry’s anorexia and botox pitch. Stay, her #1 hit with Zedd has sold over 2 million copies and has been called the “Song of the Summer.” “1-800-273-8255,” her most recent #1 smash with Logic went platinum 5x, contributing to her six global smash hits and 8.5 billion streams worldwide. She was one of the most-streamed new female artists of 2017.
“I would like to congratulate Alessia on receiving the 2019 Allan Slaight Music Impact Honour,” says Gary Slaight, CEO/President Slaight Communications. “Her altruism, generosity and inspirational messages mirror my father Allan’s deeply held belief that we can all make a change for the better in this world. Of particular note are her efforts to empower young women through the I Am That Girl campaign that is offering help to young women ages 14 to 22.”
Past Allan Slaight Honourees include Jessie Reyez, Drake, Melanie Fiona, Shawn Hook, Brett Kissel, Carly Rae Jepsen, Shawn Mendes, The Weeknd and Nikki Yanofsky.
The 2019 Awards has a CTV broadcast in December.
