How a Mauritian artist is thriving in Canada

Can you please introduce yourself and tell us about your background?

My name is Sheila Veerasamy. I am a Mauritian living in Toronto. I'm a former secondary school educator, and I have taught for 13 years.

What brought you to Canada, especially to Toronto? For how long have you been there?

I was really in my comfort zone in Mauritius, I was stagnating in my life, and I was desperate for a change. I had the desire to grow professionally and artistically.

This  August will mark my 6th year in Canada.

Was it hard to adapt? What are the major hurdles, and how did you overcome them?

It was not hard for me to adapt. I was actually prepared for the worse. Toronto is the crossroads of different cultures, like Mauritius, so I guess this reason might explain why I didn't find it hard to adjust myself. I also made friends who encouraged and guided me during my early years in the city. I didn't have any major hurdles. I believe God was very gracious to me. I did have small difficulties at the beginning, like how to use accounting software and different portals of different financial institutions. I was very receptive during training sessions, and I observed how my colleagues work and ask for advice to devise my own way of working. I was optimistic, eager to learn, did my own research and practised on these different portals to overcome these minor obstacles.

Did the COVID-19 pandemic have an impact on your job?

I am in the financial sector. The pandemic did have a positive impact. I am currently working from home (I have not been in the office for more than a year). I am able to save time in commuting and conduct more appointments virtually, at the comfort of my home.

How is the labour market currently? Are there career prospects for expats?

There are job prospects in the IT and financial sector. Many companies are currently recruiting, and when you are fully bilingual in Canada, it is a great advantage.

You recently released a single “T'es un homme exceptionnel”, which is quite a big step for an expat. What motivated you to do so, and how did you achieve it?

I have been writing songs since I was a high school student, and I always wanted to release them. It happened that I worked with Adrien Juhel (Big Chulo Studio) on a song project, “Lavwa Diaspora” with MRU23O Mov. I was very happy with Adrien's work, he is a genius in the music field, and I approached him to work on the music of my song.

Adrien is in Québec province, and due to the pandemic, it was not wise for me to travel there, so I did the recording at my place in Toronto. The recording was sent to Adrien(Big Chulo Studio), who worked on the music with the collaboration of Coeur de Lion Studio (Mauritius).

When I released the teaser, Radio M230 (The First Mauritian Radio station in Canada) approached me to launch the song. The team did my flyer and video the way that I requested them to do. It was an amazing experience, where we worked in unity despite being in different provinces and countries. I am proud to say that “T'es un homme Exceptionnel” is 100% Mauritian production.

How does it feel to be a Mauritian artist abroad? Is this your first experience?

It feels good when your work is being appreciated and to support Mauritians from back home, all around the world and Canadians. Although many of my friends and colleagues do not understand French, they are so encouraging and are waiting for my next song.

I participated in the Voice in Verses I, II, and this year will be my third time participating in the poetry event for National Poetry Month. I have also participated in the International Day Concert at a Church in Toronto. I sang a gospel song that I wrote years back. During the event, I also had the opportunity to teach the people several words in creole, which is my mother tongue. Last year I was the lyricist for the song “ Lavwa Diaspora” which was sung by young Mauritian singers in Canada.

Where does your passion for poetry come from?

I was a French literature student, and my teacher is an author and poet. I believe that he sparkled the love for poetry in me.

Do you have any advice for Mauritians and other expat artists who wish to thrive abroad?

Press on, be positive and believe in your visions. Whatever happens, keep going and be teachable. Be humble and be ready to start from scratch. Success will not come overnight. Work hard, upgrade your skills, work on your craft, be patient. With time, you will see the fruits of your work just like a farmer. Do not wait for people to come to you. Go and introduce yourself to them, make friends.

What do you miss the most about Mauritius?

The beach.

If you had to go through your move to Canada all over again, is there anything you would do differently?

Yes, the choice of a flatmate. I would “interview” potential flatmates to check what kind of person they are and from there choose with whom to cohabitate.