Category: Music

Music

Minnesota singers welcome South African choir into their homes

By JENNA ROSS , STAR TRIBUNE

Back in August 2018, in a South African school, a pair of sopranos sang and swayed together. Maya Tester and Thulisile Ntetha were from different choirs, different continents. But minutes into their first rehearsal, they were chatting and laughing.

“We just clicked,” said Ntetha.

More than a year later, the pair giggled as they told the story in a very different setting: Tester’s south Minneapolis kitchen.

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Music

South African DJ Tira appears on Beats 1 Radio to push amapiano & gqom in America

BY MASEGO SEEMELA

DJ Tira is making major moves in the US, and it is all in the name of pushing SA music.

Makoya Bearings, as he refers to himself, made a guest appearance on Beats 1 Radio, hosted by Ebro Darden.

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Music

The Lijadu Sisters: the Nigerian twins who fought the elite with funk
  • The death of Kehinde Lijadu marks the end of a wonderfully idiosyncratic partnership, where warped pop met fierce politics

By Kate Hutchinson 

One joyful evening at the Barbican, London, in April 2014, identical Nigerian twins, then aged 65, appeared on stage in matching sparkly red dresses alongside musicians including Damon Albarn, Sinkane, Alexis Taylor of Hot Chip and Beastie Boys collaborator Money Mark. They were there to sing the music of William Onyeabor, an elusive synth-pop oddball whose music had been rediscovered by David Byrne’s Luaka Bop label and was being toured by this unlikely supergroup. But the twins were also making their return to the spotlight following their own lost years, having languished in obscurity for decades.

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Music

Brian Shimkovitz on his quest to find awesome African albums

By Bolaji Alonge

American music collector Brian Shimkovitz has a keen ear for music that could be easily lost in the bargain bin of history. Before realising his Awesome Tapes From Africa (ATFA) music blog and DJ project, Shimkovitz had gone to Ghana to study the hip hop scene in the country. He returned to the US with a host of audio cassettes that one could only find at African markets.

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Music

Wynton Marsalis and More Celebrate the Sounds of Post-Apartheid South African Jazz in New York

The story of South African jazz has been told in venues across New York City since the ’60s, when the likes of Hugh Masekela and Miriam Makeba came to the town as exiles from Johannesburg. The part of the story that came after the country found democracy hasn’t had as much stage time as fans of the genre would say it deserves. It’s this part of the story that Jazz at Lincoln Center’s new series of concerts, the South African Songbook, chose to spotlight to kick off its 2019-2020 season.

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Music, People

Inspired by Fela, Nigeria’s Burna Boy blazes trail in the US

By GARY GERARD HAMILTON, ASSOCIATED PRESS NEW YORK 

Burna Boy was only six years old when Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti passed away, but that was enough time for the future musician to be inspired.

“Everyone’s got their hero,” the 28-year-old Nigerian performer said. “For me, that’s my hero.”

Kuti — the Nigerian musical icon and political agitator whose life and legacy was portrayed in the wildly popular Broadway musical “Fela!” — was once managed by Burna Boy’s grandfather, someone else he calls a hero.

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Music, People

Afropop Queen Victoria Kimani Is Kenya’s Best Kept Secret

The “Wash It” singer tells the Recording Academy about her multinational background, growing up in L.A., Tulsa, Nigeria and Kenya and breaking out of what can sometimes be an isolating music scene

By RACHEL BRODSKY

Everyone has an origin story, and R&B/Afropop singer Victoria Kimani‘s is especially memorable. Born in Los Angeles to Kenyan parents, the 34-year-old moved all over the globe—specifically to Tulsa, Okla., Nigeria and finally Kenya—during her teen years.

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Music

How Afrobeats Is Influencing American Pop Music, According to Producer P2J

BY KEMET HIGH

Afrobeats has been steadily infiltrating the U.S. airwaves for the past few years. In fact, you may have heard Afro B’s “Drogba (Joanna)” thumping out of someone’s car speakers this summer, bringing the uplifting vibe you need when the sun is out.

The term afrobeats has been used to describe a collective campaign of different musical styles stemming from Africa, not to get mixed up with Afrobeat, which is a West African music genre blending fuji and highlife music with American jazz and funk, pioneered by Fela Kuti. Afrobeats is a word that’s used to bring awareness to African-influenced music from collectives like the Flight Club, artists like Davido, Burna Boy, and Wizkid, and producers like P2J.

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Music

African gospel music producers aim to break into Edmonton’s music scene

‘Sometimes in a world where maybe the favour is not in your lane you create your own favour’

By Thandiwe Konguavi · CBC News

A number of renowned African gospel music producers, who now call Edmonton home, are working non-stop to break African musicians into mainstream Christian radio stations. 

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Music

MAD OO!! Burna Boy’s ‘African Giant’ Album Debuts At No. 13 On Billboard World Album Charts

Once again, the African Giant is standing tall amongst the rest.

After releasing back-to-back hit singles off the album, there was no doubt that the album was going to be phenomenal.

Nigerian Dancehall-Afrobeatz artiste, Burna Boy’s recently released album titled ‘African Giant’ has debuted No. 13 on Billboard World Charts just in the second week after its release.

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Music

African stars Wizkid, Tiwa Savage, Burna Boy to feature in Beyoncés ‘Lion King: The Gift’ Album

The superstar’s new album will feature a number of African stars who rarely get exposure in the U.S.

By Elias Leight

Beyoncé has announced The Lion King: The Gift, an album that will accompany the remake of the famous Disney animated film will have a track list that includes stars from Nigeria, Ghana and South Africa, artists who rarely get exposure in the American mainstream. 

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Music

Soweto Gospel Choir: Three Heavy Grammys And A World Singing Their Praise

Songs of the struggle and music steeped in South Africa’s apartheid past. The story of how the Soweto Gospel Choir captivated the world

By Motlabana Monnakgotla

Three Grammys in 12 years. And more global awards in their 17 years of existence. In February this year, at the 61st annual Grammy awards in Los Angeles, South Africa’s child and Africa’s pride, the Soweto Gospel Choir (SGC) walked up to the stage to a rousing ovation.

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Music

Burna Boy’s Mother Accepts “Best International Act” At BET Awards 2019

By Desire Thompson

Burna’s Boy’s mother delivered a special message while accepting the honor for “Best International Act” at the BET Awards. Bose Ogulu, the manager and mother of the Afro-fusion musician accepted the award on her son’s behalf.

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Music

Burna Boy wins 2019 BET Best International Act Award

By Jayne Augoye

Nigerian afro-fusion artiste, Damini Ogulu, popularly known as Burna Boy, has won the 2019 BET best international act award. The talented singer floored Teni Makanaki and Mr Eazi to win the coveted category in the award.

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Entertainment, Music

Nigeria’s Burna Boy, Teni, Mr Eazi Nominated for BET Awards

By Urowayino Warami

Nigerian music stars Burna Boy, Teni and Mr Eazi have been nominated in different categories for the Black Entertainment Television (BET) awards.

The BET Awards were established in 2001 to celebrate yearly African-Americans and other American minorities in music, acting, sports, and other fields of entertainment.

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