Mantra Roots presents rising talent Keli Woods & Winnie Ama. 

Singer-Songwriter Keli Woods presents a set of original and reimagined songs with his band of incredibly talented musicians, touching upon Jazz, Folk, Soul and Indian music styles.

Keli Woods is a UK-based multi-instrumentalist, composer, and producer. Drawing on his experience as a monk and a diverse range of influences (from big band swing to Vedic kirtan), his soulful compositions ignite introspection and invite listeners to ponder life’s big questions.

Keli’s musical journey started young. After a detour into the world of musical theatre and a near-miss with West End stardom at the age of 11, Keli formed his first jazz band at 13, playing drumkit and went on tour.

Soon though, the late-night rock’n’roll life lost its lustre for the introspective Keli. Worried that his music was merely encouraging escapism, Keli chose to bid adieu to music and embrace life as a monk. He immersed himself in philosophy and spirituality, which ultimately fuelled his return to music with a newfound purpose. 

Now, as a solo artist, Keli transforms his experiences into captivating compositions with thought-provoking lyrics. His warm and expressive music takes in everything from indie, gospel, folk, Indian, jazz, and acoustic sounds, and draws inspiration from his spiritual journey. As a contemporary bard, he’s composed almost 200 original songs, touching on profound themes such as divine connection, the virtues of patience, and the pursuit of authenticity. His songs serve as an enchanting reminder that music can be so much more than a mere escape—it can be a transformative force that touches the very core of our being.

Winnie Ama is a Belfast born and raised Northern-Irish-Ghanaian artist who blends conscious lyrics, soulful vocals with pop and dance and rhythms. She artist has had success with multiple MusicWeek UK Club Chart top 10’s and support from, BBC6, BBC2, RTE2FM, FM104, BBC Radio Ulster, with BBC Introducing’s Gemma Bradley referencing her fresh writing style and distinctive voice.

In 2023, Winnie Ama delivered a TedxStormont talk, performed in Dublin, London, Belfast, NYC and Boston. She currently has a residency with Pirate Studios – selected out of 5000 emerging artists, and also selected out of 1000 upcoming artists to perform at Liverpool Sounds Festival. Winnie Ama has been tipped as a Rising Artist by RTE2FM and One to Watch by BBC Introducing ATL. She also received recognition from Macy Gray and Sister Sledge who both invited her to open their shows in Cork and Belfast respectively.

Winnie Ama’s writing style is inspired by Ella Fitzgerald, Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone and Amy Winehouse. She switched from writing poetry and stories to writing music. Then she studied jazz vocals before making her commercial music debut in 2019 writing 3 songs in collaboration with Francis Groove that made the top 10 in MusicWeek’s UK Urban/Black Club Chart – Can’t Wait #1, I Swear #7 and Born to Win #6. She also appeared in Photo Vogue in 2019. Her solo debut ‘What Are We’ was in MusicWeek’s Black Club Chart for 6 weeks, peaking at number 11. In 2022 she has been the resident artist for the Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival -Belfast, One Night Records – London and Bert’s Jazz Bar – Belfast.