Canadian Soprano Jonelle Sills (pr. Ya-Nell) is one of the most exciting young sopranos of her generation. A JUNO Award nominee with The Canadian Art Song Project for Known to Dreamers: Black Voices in Canadian Art Song for Classical Album of the Year (Small Ensemble), she has also been named one of CBCs Music’s 30 Hot Classical Musicians Under 30.

Jonelle has made acclaimed debuts with leading companies, including the Canadian Opera Company as Mimi in La bohème, a performance that was lauded as being a “beautifully sensitive Mimi with careful control and colour” (The Globe and Mail). Other notable roles include Rosalinde (Die Fledermaus) and Donna Anna (Don Giovanni) with Edmonton Opera, Micaëla (Carmen) and Helena (A Midsummer Night’s Dream) with Vancouver Opera, and Anna Glawari (The Merry Widow) with Toronto Operetta Theatre. She has also appeared in recital with the Viano Quartet at the Prince Edward County Chamber Festival. Her company debut with Toronto’s Against The Grain Theatre in Vivier’s Kopernikus earned her a 2019 Dora Award as a member of the ensemble.

Jonelle has been an integral collaborator with Jamii since 2020, beginning with a performance alongside Jeremiah Sparks in Wind Stories. Over the years, her creative contributions have spanned various projects, including performing in Wayo (2021), starring in the short film series The Wedding, producing Stolen (2023) and Butterfly Ballet (2023), performing in An Evening with David Crombie (2024), and leading Jamii's February 2025 cycle with the theme of Mirrors.