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| | Arts Calendar / April 23 / Concerts |
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21:00 | Nneka (Nigeria-Germany) |
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 Hip-hop Nas calls her "amazing" and "an incredible artist." The Sunday Times hailed her as the new Lauryn Hill and said her debut album was "as good as The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill." Born in Nigeria, Nneka relocated some 10,000 miles to Hamburg, Germany, at the age of nineteen to pursue a career in singing along side a degree in Anthropology. Having landed in the German port, the singer hooked up with DJ and Hip-Hop beatmaker DJ Farhot and ever since, their strong musical relationship has been the backbone of Nneka's success. Her influences reflect her younger days in Nigeria as well as her time in the Western world. The distance she has travels shines through in her voice as does her diverse musical influences. She cites famous compatriot Fela Kuti and legend Bob Marley as well as contemporary rappers Mos Def, Talib Kweli and Mobb Deep as key influences in her pursuit of musical recognition. After finishing her debut EP "The Uncomfortable Truth" she toured Europe, commencing a long live schedule, performing to up to 6000 people at her later gigs, this young talent supported the likes of Femi Kuti, Seeed, Sean Paul and Gnarls Barkley. Performing all over Europe, from her adopted hometown of Hamburg to Holloway Prison in London. Despite her Nigerian background, Nneka's sound is strongly connected with her European journey. Nneka's voice strikes an eerie balance between rage and pain which mirror's the abrasion of two continents, Europe and Africa, within Nneka's life so far. Nneka reiterates her humility in the face of her musical talents. In Moscow award-winning Nigerian singer-songwriter Nneka will present her captivating, reggae-tinged fourth album called My Fairy Tales. "I decided to call this album My Fairy Tales as a way of making subject matter that is sometimes quite heavy and bitter sound sweet," says Nneka. Nneka's fourth album, was born while she was studying French and living in Paris. It was recorded and produced in France, Denmark and Nigeria. French producer Mounir Maarouf produced five songs, the Danish Silver Bullit team produced two songs and The Slag and Nneka produced one song. "I'd initially gone for one month but ended up extending my stay for several months," says Nneka. "While there I met the producer Mounir Maarouf and I just started recording every day after school. It evolved into an album; the Parisian Sessions." My Fairy Tales is a concept album, exploring the lives of Africans in the diaspora and the struggles they face - focusing on the importance of being responsible towards children as well as the significance of culture, education and identity values. "I wanted to write about Africans experience in the Diaspora," Nneka explains. "How we are doing, hustling in another man's land. What we are going through. My travels around the world plus spending a lot of time in France have influenced me in writing an album that doesn't just explain the suffering of Africans, but also the aspects of endurance, perseverance and gratitude." The result is the stunning concept album My Fairy Tales. It has a retro groove appeal to it, with authentic afro-groove highlife blending with roots reggae. In the debut single "Book of Job", Nneka sings: "No matter what comes, on my knees I will stay. I keep beseeching , so let the storms come cos I know that love will conquer everything."
Sixteen Tons  |
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