Latest news with #Beninese-French
Scroll.in
29-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Scroll.in
‘Connecting with myself': How Sanjay Divecha worked up the courage to make a solo guitar album
I've always believed in the oneness of all things in this universe. Going through life's bylanes and observing how events unfold and teach you the lessons to be learned, this belief has only strengthened with time. My work as an artist has primarily been to connect with my inner self , and express myself with honesty. Being able to share this work with others is a blessing that I am truly grateful for. The yearning to learn something new in my art and refine my skill set has been my constant companion. I started my musical journey in Mumbai, where I was born, studying the sitar for five years. But as I listened to blues, jazz, and rock, I chose the guitar as my primary instrument. I moved to Los Angeles in 1987 and soon began to study at Musician's Institute there a couple of years later. I lived in Los Angeles for 15 years, recording and touring with artists who performed a variety of genres: the Beninese-French singer-songwriter Angelique Kidjo, Latin-rock pioneer Carlos Santana and jazz-fusion maestro Dave Weckl among them. Since I returned to India in 2003, I've been participating in a range of projects. I've been a member of the group Crosscurrents, which was led by the tabla superstar Zakir Hussain. The personnel were legends too: bassist Dave Holland, saxophonist Chris Potter, vocalist Shankar Mahadevan, keyboardist Louiz Banks and drummer Gino Banks. I lead three ensembles, each of which ploughs a distinct groove. Sanjay Divecha & Secret was formed as a result of my effort to absorb folk music from across the country, both north and south. With Merkaba, we play urban contemporary music that aims to foster healing both of the self and the community. I also perform in a jazz trio that play both originals and standards. And now also performing solo guitar concerts. Amidst all of this, I'd been intimidated by the thought of recording an album primarily of solo guitar tunes – it seemed too demanding. All my previous recorded works have been with ensembles, with a variety of instruments. With Leela, I've finally mustered up the courage to record a collection of music that was mainly written for solo guitar, also mainly recorded on acoustic guitar. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sanjay Divecha (@sanjaydivechamusic) In Sanskrit. 'Leela' means 'divine play'. This album was a joyous yet profound act of creation. The songs are reflections of some of my journeys and inspirations, interpreted in a spontaneous and instinctive manner. It started with me performing a few solo guitar concerts. I've always had this repertoire. The experience was so thrilling, I decided to capture that so I could share it with others. Although all the songs have a form , the manner in which they were interpreted was in the moment and there was always room for improvising . As I started the recording process I started to add a few layers to enhance the music – acoustic steel string guitar, acoustic nylon, acoustic baritone and some electric guitar. On some tracks, I invited guests I have long admired to join me. There's Ananya Sharma on vocals and hand claps, Apoorv Petkar on vocals, harmonium and hand claps, Anand Bhagat on percussion, Vasundhara Vee on vocals and Harmeet Mansetta on string orchestration. The album opener, When the Mountains Meet the Sky is inspired by my trips to the northern states of India and the mighty Himalayas . Decades after I first heard the guitar legend John McLaughlin live, his music has continued to have an impact on me. Song for John Ji is dedicated to him and his spirit. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Nusrat Apoorv (@nusrat_apoorv) One of the cool things that can be done on the guitar is alternate tunings. I've used quite a few in this collection. These tunings open up the instrument and give it new possibilities and dimensions. Every once in a while a melody comes along with a special quality that resonates with all. Afrika is a song I learned from Andre Manga, multi instrumentalist from Cameroon. I finally recorded this song after many requests from audiences asking where they could hear a recorded version of it. Music from Brazil has been a huge part of my musical journey. For Tom is a tribute to Antonio Carlos Jobim (who was fondly known as Tom) . The organic nature of Leela takes me back to my formative years as a guitar player. I'm grateful for it to take its own journey.
France 24
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- France 24
Beninese-French diva Angélique Kidjo lights up FEMUA 2025 Festival
Culture 12:40 Issued on: Modified: She is a music legend whose voice and presence have shaped generations beyond the African continent. Beninese-French singer Angélique Kidjo is a multi-Grammy award winner but also a fierce advocate for education, culture and freedom. This year, she was one of the "Guests of Honour" at Abidjan's Festival of Urban Music in Ivory Coast, where she shared the stage with emerging artists in Africa. On the sidelines of the festival, Kidjo sat down with our music editor Fatimata Wane. In this special interview, they discuss Kidjo's passion for music and working with the next generation to come.
Mail & Guardian
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Mail & Guardian
Angélique Kidjo still sings with purpose
All Hail Angélique!: At the age of 64, the Beninese-French singer-songwriter Angélique Kidjo lives joyfully, performs powerfully and gives relentlessly. Photo: Patrick Fouque It's the first day of the Abu Dhabi Culture Summit and I am sitting, along with about 100 other people, in the main auditorium of the Manarat Al Saadiyat in the capital of the United Arab Emirates for a special performance. The one and only Angélique Kidjo is here. On a small stage on the right of the circular auditorium, the legendary Beninese-French singer-songwriter speaks to the CEO of The Recording Academy Harvey Mason Jr about her music and impact. But this is just a precursor for what we have all come to see. It's not long before Kidjo springs to her feet and launches into a medley of some of her greatest hits — with the support of Togolese guitarist Amen Viana and French-Lebanese trumpeter Ibrahim Maalouf. At first, the crowd is dead quiet, observing the performance as though they aren't witnessing one of the finest musicians Africa has ever produced. 'Are we in a library or a concert?' I wonder out loud. But it's a summit that has far more panel discussions and keynote speeches on the programme than it does music performances, so I shouldn't be surprised that everybody is taking themselves way too seriously. Kidjo isn't deterred. She performs with the energy and vitality of a rollicking sold-out show, her voice soaring and, slowly but surely, she shakes the audience out of its slumber. Enticing us into a call-and-response, initially only a handful heed the invitation to collaborate on her choruses but, gradually, more and more voices join in the celebration and the volume of the music grows. As the sound rises, people rise to their feet. Now we're talking. It takes only 10 minutes to go from folded arms and solemn faces to hand clapping, feet stomping, rhythm swaying and chanting in harmony. Kidjo is singing at the top of her voice, and moving with the careless abandon of a woman who knows joy — pure, unfiltered, boundless joy. That's the reason that she can still perform with such vitality at 64 years of age and still tours, performing at venues across the world. 'Performing is the thing I like the most,' she tells me. 'I don't like studios. I mean, to me, the studio is a way to get on tour. 'That's what I grew up doing. I started singing on stage at six years old, so I got the virus for performing early.' In a few hours, she'll get on a plane to New York to perform at the hallowed concert venue Carnegie Hall. But, for a few precious minutes, I get to speak to Kidjo in her backstage dressing room alongside Jean Hebrail, her husband and musical collaborator of over 40 years. The impact of her music has spanned generations and earned her accolades including five Grammy awards. But perhaps even more impressive is the list of fellow musicians she's collaborated with which includes Carlos Santana, Peter Gabriel, Alicia Keys, Branford Marsalis, Herbie Hancock, Josh Groban and Ziggy Marley. Hebrail shows me a video clip of Kidjo performing with Mama Africa herself, the late great Miriam Makeba, at a concert in 2006. The image of the two icons joyously singing Makeba's classic song Malaika is magical. Yes, Ms Kidjo is loved across the world — but she belongs to Africa first and foremost. 'If I was not born in Africa, I don't think I would be the artist I am,' she says. 'I never deny the place where I am from. We have our issues. We have our problems. But I was born in Africa for a reason. And that reason, I don't know. 'I'm just proud of who I am. Everywhere I go, every time I'm on stage, I always stand knowing where I come from and carrying the African continent on my shoulders.' More recently, Kidjo has collaborated with younger artists like Burna Boy, Mr Eazi, Yemi Alade, EarthGang and Blue Lab Beats. I ask her how these collaborations — which run the gamut from Nigerian Afrobeats artists to a British jazz duo and an Atlanta-based hip-hop group — came about. 'I'm always listening to music and keeping my ear out for new artists that excite me,' she says. 'Sometimes I receive a DM and I say, 'Okay, let's do this. Send me the song.' 'It's always about the song. How is the song we're making going to help us tell a compelling story that's going to outlive us? A story that's going to form part of the heritage of the next generation. I'm always available for any young artist that wants to do something compelling but you have to work hard because I won't work with you if your song isn't good and if it's not going to lift you up to the next level. 'I'm not doing stuff to please you. I'm doing it because I want you to elevate yourself. And when you get there, pass it on to the next generation,' she says. Kidjo is deeply concerned about passing on the knowledge and wisdom to younger generations and leaving behind a world they can be proud to inherit. No wonder she has done so much work advocating for social issues. She's been a Unicef Goodwill Ambassador for more than 20 years and she founded the Batonga Foundation, a non-profit promoting education and leadership for girls in different parts of Africa. She's been a strong advocate for climate justice, refugee rights and global education; her music has been used in UN campaigns and she has addressed the General Assembly calling for more to be done to reduce child mortality rates. While her contributions as a musician are incredible, Kidjo will be remembered for more than her work as an artist. I ask her what the word 'legacy' means to her. 'Well, I didn't start doing music thinking about legacy or being rich,' she says. 'That was not the core of what I wanted to do. 'When I was a little girl I was taught that, when you are given a gift of voice and song, or whatever gift you're given by nature, if it serves you, you have to use it to serve other people. If it makes you happy, you have to share that happiness with others. 'It's not for me to keep my voice to myself; I need to share it with the largest amount of people I can. So, that was the foundation I started on and that's still how I function today. I am always at the service of a song. My desire is to give something to others, not to keep it to myself. 'So, for me, the word 'legacy' is not something I think about at all because, as long as I still have my health and a voice, and I can go out there and have fun on stage and make people happy, that's my salary. 'That's what gives me the strength to go through horrendous hours of travelling around the world, just to be on that stage …' What lingers most is not just Kidjo's voice, or even her accolades, but the sheer force of spirit she brings to every room she enters. On that stage in Abu Dhabi, she didn't just sing — she ignited something in all of us. She reminded us, through movement and music, that joy is a powerful form of resistance and connection. It's the same joy that has propelled her through over four decades of global touring, collaborations and advocacy, and the same joy she insists on sharing with those she mentors. A woman who knows the meaning of joy — Kidjo does more than merely perform, she rises to the occasion, makes the most of her gifts and selflessly shares her voice with others. In the process, she invites us all to rise with her.
