Andye on carving out his own lane in Toronto’s music scene

Ethiopian-born and Toronto-raised singer, songwriter and dancer Andye is bringing fresh energy to the city’s pop and R&B scene. Known for his smooth delivery and slick choreography, the 25-year-old has already racked up millions of streams, a viral TikTok hit and a distribution deal sparked by his breakout single, “Sorry Love.”

This summer, he returned to the stage at Toronto Life’s Garden Party at Evergreen Brick Works—his first live performance in three years—reminding fans why he belongs in the spotlight. With a debut project slated for 2026, Andye is focused on carving out what he calls “an entirely new lane,” one that fuses the influences of Michael Jackson and the Weeknd with his own Ethiopian roots.

We caught up with Andye to talk about starting young, drawing inspiration from Toronto nightlife and why success, to him, means building a loyal community.

You’ve been performing since you were nine. How did starting so young shape the way you see yourself as an artist today? I started singing when I first came from Ethiopia. I was super shy about it, because in my neighbourhood nobody else was doing that. I used to hide my voice. By high school, my friends pushed me to take it seriously and go to the studio. That’s when I recorded “Sorry Love.”

Starting young taught me patience. It made me realize this is a process—finding my sound, my brand. But it also gave me work ethic. I’ve been doing this for a minute now, so I feel like I’m just cruising at this point.

Toronto has become known for its pop and R&B talent. How has the city influenced your sound? Honestly, it comes down to the people. Especially nightlife—Toronto is so diverse. You see fashion kids, artistic people, just all these different vibes. When I’m out, I’ll listen to what people are into and think, Okay, let me channel that into my music. Sometimes the city itself becomes my muse.

Your first single created a real buzz. What did that moment teach you about connecting with an audience? That track was everything. It actually landed me a distribution deal with Warner, and it showed people there was a young Ethiopian singer in Toronto to pay attention to. It wasn’t easy—I’ll be real, it took me five hours to record, and I wasn’t even on pitch half the time. But, when I put myself out there, people believed in it. That gave me all the confidence in the world.

How do you represent your Ethiopian heritage? I’m proud of being Ethiopian, and I put that in everything I do. When I look at my analytics, I see fans in Ethiopia, Minnesota, Toronto—everywhere. The bigger picture for me is headlining a show in Ethiopia, collaborating with Ethiopian artists, even weaving cultural instruments into my music. That’s how I want to create my own lane.

How do you see social media fitting into your artistry? It’s both a tool and a part of the art. Social media gave me a fair shot—my song “Out of Love” went viral on TikTok, and that changed everything. But it’s also how I show my personality, my branding, my story. I’m an Ethiopian kid who’s goofy, loves basketball, goes through heartbreaks. Sharing that side of me is just as important as the music.

You’ve cited Michael Jackson, the Weeknd and Chris Brown as influences. What lessons did you take from them—and where do you diverge? Michael taught me passion. The Weeknd taught me mood and storytelling. Chris Brown taught me charisma—how to just have fun with music.

What makes me different is my story. I’m an immigrant from Ethiopia, and my bigger goal is to blend that culture into my R&B and pop. At the end of the day, being “different” isn’t always the point. It’s about expressing your emotions so someone else connects. If a listener can say, “I understand what you’re singing about,” then I’ve done my job.

With dance being so central to your music, how do you approach choreography? Sometimes it just happens in the studio. If I’m making an upbeat track, I’ll start dancing right there, and the moves become part of the choreography. It’s organic—it’s in the moment. That’s what makes it authentic. Artists like Michael Jackson and Chris Brown are incredible at that, and I try to bring the same energy.

This summer, you performed at Toronto Life’s Garden Party. What was that experience like? As soon as I got on stage, I started with a cover of “I Feel It Coming” by the Weeknd, and everybody just surrounded us and started singing along. As an artist, you’re nervous—you’re vulnerable—but when people give you that energy back, it’s the best feeling in the world. Toronto is my favourite city, and to perform here again reminded me why I love it.

You said you want to create your own lane. What does that mean? And what can fans expect from your debut project? It means giving people opportunities to relate—whether it’s heartbreak, fun, or just being outside and living life. My goal is to connect through emotions. I want someone to look back and say, “I saw Andye when I was 10, and he made me feel like that too.”

The debut project is coming in 2026. That’s all I can say for now, but we’ve got the rollout ready.

Looking ahead, what would make you feel like the work has paid off? Of course, I’d love to win a Juno or a Grammy—those are dreams. But, honestly, success to me is having a loyal community, a cult following that grows with me. Something like XO or OVO. That’s what would make me feel like I’ve really arrived.

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