Olukemi Lijadu
Olukemi Lijadu is a multidisciplinary artist and DJ whose work moves between sound, performance, and collective listening, building spaces where music becomes a way of holding intimacy, memory, and connection. She's currently in residence with SITE Toronto at 401 Richmond, one of the city's most important arts hubs.
For her Toronto, Kemi maps five spots where the city slows down and the sound system does the talking: from a new Black-owned bar whose bissap tastes like home, to a waterfront garden scored to Bach, by way of the closest thing Toronto has to a Tokyo jazz kissa. Five places to listen, gather, and lose an afternoon.
Nile Coffee Bar
A new Black owned bar in the city, it is chic, and warm, with a stunning sound system crafted locally. Their bissap drinks are delicious and - to me - taste like home.
Olukemi Lijadu
401 Richmond
I'm currently a resident at SITE Toronto, with my studio at 401 Richmond - a lively arts community that's become both a space of experimentation and a haven within the city for me.
Olukemi Lijadu
The Music Garden
Strolling by the water here always slows me down in the best way. The garden was designed in the style of Bach's First Suite for Unaccompanied Cello, and on sunny days, there are musicians generously playing along the waterfront.
Olukemi Lijadu
Rooms Coffee 915 Dupont
My love of the jazz kissa - Tokyo's listening bar culture - was sparked by a trip to Japan in 2023. Rooms Coffee is the closest thing Toronto has to it: impeccably curated, and sipping a hot chocolate while D'Angelo plays is my definition of bliss.
Olukemi Lijadu
Olukemi Lijadu is a multidisciplinary artist and DJ whose work moves between sound, performance, and collective listening. Her practice is rooted in experimentation and gathering, creating spaces where music becomes a way of building intimacy, memory, and connection across communities. Currently in residence with SITE Toronto at 401 Richmond, Kemi's studio has become both a workspace and a sanctuary for developing new sonic ideas, live performances, and collaborative projects. Located inside one of Toronto's most important arts and culture hubs, the residency places her within a wider community of artists, curators, filmmakers, designers, and cultural workers working across disciplines. Her work continues to explore the emotional possibilities of sound, improvisation, and shared experience, moving fluidly between performance, installation, and community-centered practice.