Selah Moonie

A Nassau, Bahamas Native, Selah Halie Simone Poitier began producing and playing music professionally in her childhood as a church pianist and was awarded an apprentice scholarship to take lessons for bass and perform in The Bahamas National Symphony orchestra at age 15. She was later both self-taught and trained on other instruments, including clarinet, piano, and bass. Her proficiency earned her acceptance into The Government High School’s Magnet Performing Arts programme, a scholarship to The University of The Bahamas to study music education, and to Berklee College of Music, where she graduated with a B.M. in Jazz performance. Selah also studied Music Business at Musician's Institute in Hollywood, CA.

At 15, Selah sang, wrote, and produced her first song on the radio “What’s going down”, placing 3rd in The Bahamas’ Junkanoo songwriting competition. She won The Bahamas’ Ministry of Tourism’s songwriting competition with her family in 2017. Selah is now a genre-bending artist, arranger, bandleader, composer, producer, songwriter, double and electric bassist. She has performed at world-renowned venues and jazz festivals throughout the U.S., opened up for George Clinton & The Parliament Funkadelic, received praise from Grammy Award-Winning Artists, India Arie, Dianne Reeves, Terri Lyne Carrington, and Brian Vibberts, and has been featured in international music/art magazines for her unique artistry and inspiring story.

Selah's story is one of perseverance and triumph. After the passing of her beloved mentor and co-founder of The Bahamas Symphony Orchestra, Bahamian bassist Denis Donaldson, Selah set eyes on her dream school, Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA. She accelerated her 4-year degree program at Berklee by doubling up on classes, taking no summer breaks, and studying under Lincoln Goines and John Lockwood.

Berklee Professor Bill Banfield implored her to explore her underlying passion for Bahamian history, cultural heritage, and ethnomusicology drawing comparisons to a young Zora Neale Hurston. Selah credits Chuks Okpu, a friend and fellow Berklee Alumnus, as one of the defining factors in her finding and embracing her unique sound as an artist.

Selah planned to remain in the U.S. to continue pursuing her dream of being an artist but had to return to The Bahamas due to visa issues. She continued traveling and performing globally self-funding her own career. In 2020, she briefly relocated to LA to study music business, intern at a major record label, and move her son to the U.S. to pursue his dreams of becoming a professional and touring musician, but due to the unprecedented global pandemic, LA shutdown and sudden border closure in her home country, she found herself homeless having to move from place to place until she could return home to her family. Despite this, a resilient Selah regrouped and founded her band, The Liberation Village, in 2022. She also founded Poitier Entertainment to manage her band and son, and this year, she trademarked and signed herself to “Halie Moon Records,” her first Record Label in the U.S to release music independently.

Selah's background includes her father as a pastor and guitarist, and her mother as a singer, political aspirant and choir director. Her biggest musical influences include Nina Simone, EXUMA, Bob Marley, Dianne Reeves, Prince, Michael Jackson, Queen Latifah, Marcus Miller, and John Patittuci. She also admires artists like PJ Morton, Stevie Wonder, Jon Batiste, Willow Smith, and Beyoncé.

Selah’s *mission* - to heal & liberate.