Amazones Power is the much anticipated follow-up to Les Amazones d'Afrique's 2017 debut album. Featuring 18 different singers from three different continents, the songs are written in many different languages. We break the album down, track by track, and look at the meaning and inspiration behind each song.
“Together we must stand
Together we must stand
Together we must end this”
‘Heavy’ is a song about the women who have had the courage to build their own empire, their own life, their own business and the strength to work hard to earn more money than their husband or men in general. More specifically, this song is a tribute to one of the singers’ grandmothers, whom he upholds as a role model for younger generations.
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“Bi ta tɛ tolon ba yé” (today is not a holiday / today is no celebration)
Love denounces FGM as a barbaric practice. For singer Mamani, this must not be and is not a holiday/celebration. The fight against this practice is serious and must begin with the education of children. Women deserve respect.
“We have a right to a future without negligence
A future without suffering
A future full of perspectives
Full of joys and positivities
It’s time to blossom”
From a young age, Niariu wonders about the suffering of women over the centuries. In expressing her feelings and her troubles, the young singer encourages women to stick together in the fight against inequality, hoping for a better future, full of joy and perspective. And no pain and neglect.
‘Dunden’ (a bottle) means ‘a closed truth’
‘Queens’ is a song of solidarity to young women in married life. Rokia sings on behalf of women in towns all across Mali who are disrespected by their husbands, their co-wives, and their in-laws every day— women who have to stay strong and resilient: Queens.
“Mousso ma fin ka ha ou la” (The woman did not do anything to you)
In ‘Smooth’, Mamani Keïta highlights the injustice women suffer, and asks what they have done to deserve mistreatment, abuse and violence throughout history. She demands that women be treated as equals, and that they be given a place in leadership and roles of responsibility.
‘Dreams’ is based on a very old traditional Bambara song which tells the story of a proud warrior of Segou. Growing up in the cradle of the ancient kingdom of Bamana, with its rich ancestral culture, vocalist Rokia was naturally influenced by the area’s predominant musical heritage, specifically Bamananfoly, one of the essential strains of Malian music.
“Femininity
You are part of, I am part of, we are part of, everyone is part of it
We must not lose the sense of femininity”
In this conversation between a man and a woman, Mamani points out the virtues of femininity and the role of women in maintaining social cohesion. The conversation ends with Amadou Dembélé singing “Let’s join forces, and not care about what they say”.
“We can’t live in a society where misunderstanding reigns”
The vibrant ‘Red’ brings together catchy roots and rock elements, and appeals for collaboration and empathy across societies and continents, to bring individuals closer together, and create a fruitful environment that embraces everybody.
“You have oppressed, insulted, humiliated us
We want to live free, live in peace
We will fight until exhaustion
The path is certainly long, but we will succeed”
The Arabic-language, jazz-inflected ‘Rebels’ is an irrepressible anthem of intent that speaks both to individuals and a collective force, challenging oppression in everyday life and society, and determinedly vowing to confront injustice, and achieve peace and equality that lasts for future generations.
“Bôro ho, Mali bôro”
In an era which has focused on bitter ethnic conflicts in Mali, this track pays testimony to mutual respect and the richness of cultures; it’s named for the Dogon people of central Mali, and its lyrics express peace and admiration towards the Fulani people (of whom there are an estimated 150million across West Africa). Traditions and modernity converge here, not as rival factors, but a positive force.
18 voices on the new album by Les Amazones d’Afrique
Amazones Power, their second album, features voices from Africa and the diaspora.
Tue, 08 October 19
“Women stand up
Come on, let’s take to the streets
May all the forces come together
Let’s denounce, reveal all that is hidden”
‘Fights’ powerfully denounces the violence and cruelty of FGM. Vocalist Fafa Ruffino swears that she would never accept such pain, and invokes the Orisha Shango —the deity of lightning, thunder and justice in Yoruba mythology— to denounce the barbarity of this mutilation. Over a bluesy melody and impulsive rhythms, she affirms that women should stand together in unison, and she questions the perpetrators about the “value” of their practice.
Lyrical refrain: “Women evolve and are not like before”
In Sisters, Kandy speaks candidly to her mother, and elder generations, about the suffering of women. She questions the entrenched customs that denigrate females and underestimate their intelligence and innate worth, and she observes that women have traditionally been expected to obey without objection. At the same time, she senses a shift in collective thinking, and the potential to help each other achieve deserved equality. As Kandy explains, the song is about “a woman who knows her rights, her qualities, her duties, her power, her strength.”
“Never again, silence, violence!”
Les Amazones sing out in full vivacious effect here, as this song features 16 voices spanning nations across Africa, Europe and South America. The steely, soulful Power is a vital collective cry for a future of equality and respect, without the threat of female genital mutilation (FGM), sexual violence, lack of education and forced marriage. Change is vital. The anthem is powered by 16 voices from countries across Africa (with guest talents including Cameroon’s Patricia Essong and Roselyne Belinga; Mali’s Valerie Belinga and Nakou; and DRC’s Abby Surya), Europe (Spain’s Marta Domingo; France’s Moesha 13) and South America (Columbia’s Nancy Murillo; French Guiana’s Valerie Tribord). “My life belongs to me… I am a free woman”.
Featured release
Released 24 January 2020
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The band have shared the video for the new single to mark International Women's Day 2020.
Sun, 08 March 20
Amazones Power, their second album, features voices from Africa and the diaspora.
Tue, 08 October 19
Rokia Koné talks about the challenges facing Mali's youth in this interview and live session.
Sat, 16 June 18
