“I traveled to Montreal, Canada in 2014 for the first time ever with a band I used to be in. My band mates and I got to perform at a festival in Québec, Montreal, known as the Orientalys Festival. Québec is the French part of Canada and most people there don’t speak English. So, it was really difficult to communicate with the locals because I don’t understand or speak French and neither did any of my friends. Communicating with the audience we performed for was also a challenge due to the language barrier however, the trip was still an amazing experience.

This particular journey was significant to me because I got to explore a city outside of my comfort zone and enjoyed so much amazing food. I tried Poutine for the first time and Oh My! Oh My! Haha, it was so delicious, I had to order more! The city was also super clean compared to New York and I got to hang out with locals and played on a big stage. The trip made me realize the importance of traveling and experiencing different cultures and people. It definitely made me think of the world differently. I believe traveling is the best teacher – the more we travel, the more we learn because there is so much more to life than what we know or where we live. “

– Eli Fola

About Eli Fola

Eli Fola is a Nigerian born, New York based multimedia artist, vocalist, saxophonist, DJ and music producer. His debut EP, “The Platform”, was released on March 28, 2016. The project was inspired by his love for house and techno music and his experiences being an African living in the United States. His work has been featured in publications such as Wonderland Magazine, Fashion Glossary UK, Okayplayer, Okayafrica, Milk Media, and Impose Magazine. Eli is the founder of Tech Afrique, an independent record label and event company that serves as a platform for releasing his projects. The company hosts a monthly visual art and music event in Bedstuy, Brooklyn known as The Communion. Tech Afrique is also the musical sound he is pioneering.

In early 2017, Eli made his TED Conference debut under Tedx Cuny as a speaker and performer, focusing on how music can be used to reconcile and highlight differences in culture and identity.

Keep up with Eli’s creative adventures at www.elifola.com and via Instagram at @elifola_.

Cover Photo by Natasha Kristian