She left New York (she was born in Brooklyn) in 1972 and moved to Switzerland, and finally coming to Canada 25 years ago. Her last home in New York was on Horatio Street, just a block from the Pier 54 (at W 14th St.) site of the event, which also features fellow Canadians Chris Whiteley and Diana Braithwaite and California rock/blues guitarist Walter Trout.  She's not been "home" on Horatio Street since she left as a young teen — she certainly plans a sentimental visit to the street where she spent her childhood.

Since S'Aida came to Canada, she has built a reputation — especially in the last five years — as the country's international blues artist, playing concerts., clubs and major festivals  in almost a dozen European countries four or five times a year; earlier this year she made her first appearance in Australia at the Port Fairy Folk Festival. She will appear at a festival in Kigali, Rwanda, this September, and will be one of two Canadian artists (the other is guitar hero Matt Andersen) on the all-star Legendary Blues Cruise sailing from Fort Lauderdale next January.

At home in Canada, she was voted Female Singer of the Year at the Maple Blues Awards in January, following the success of her second album which she recorded last year for the German label Ruf Records.  She was also was chosen "Indie Blues Artist of the Year" at Canadian Music Week in March.