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
Les Amazones d’Afrique share video for new single ‘Love’
Ahead of the release of their eagerly anticipated second album Amazones Power on 24 January, Les Amazones d'Afrique have released the brand new single 'Love', which sees the return of founding member Mamani Keïta on lead vocals.
Sung in Keïta’s native Bambara tongue, the song calls out female genital mutilation (FGM) as a barbaric practice. As she points out in the lyrical refrain “Bi ta tɛ tolon ba yé” (“today is not a day of celebration”), the ritual which young girls undergo, and which has been embedded in the culture of many African communities as a ‘rite of passage’, should not be regarded as something to celebrate.
“Les Amazones d’Afrique use creativity as a way to affect change in society,” says Keïta, “to make a real difference to the lives of women and girls through the strong messages in our music.”
Mamani Keïta is originally from Mali but has lived in France for over 30 years. She was a key vocalist on Les Amazones’ highly praised debut album République Amazone, one of The Guardian’s 50 Best albums of 2017.
The new album, Amazones Power will see a number of new voices join the collective, whose objective is to use music as a driving force in the campaign for gender equality and an end to violence against women and girls.
Keïta and fellow alumnus, Malian singer Rokia Koné, are joined by new vocalists such as Fafa Ruffino (Benin), Kandy Guira (Burkina Faso), Niariu (France/Guinea), and Nacera Ouali Mesbah (Algeria) —a younger generation of singers who represent the exciting new sound of modern Africa.
Les Amazones d’Afrique will showcase the album with performances at London’s Jazz Café, The Copacabana in New York City (as part of GlobalFest) and Celtic Connections in Glasgow, alongside a nationwide tour of France in Spring 2020.
Featured Release
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Released 24 January 2020
A creative force that embraces international voices; sweet, strong harmonies that summon the rights of women and girls; a meltdown of heritage and new gen talent… Les Amazones d’Afrique are back with Amazones Power, the sequel to their widely acclaimed 2017 debut album, République Amazone.
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