The 2015 Festival brought Ethiopian-born Israeli singer Ester Rada’s cross-cultural sound to Toronto’s Revival. Blending classic soul with African influences of Fela funk and Ethiopiques cool jazz, she sings in English and Amharic, her irresistible voice carrying echoes of Nina Simone and Ella Fitzgerald, while standing shoulder to shoulder with contemporary greats like Lauryn Hill and Erykah Badu.