Afropop Worldwide Folgen

In this episode of Planet Afropop, FayFay spotlights two standout artists, Tchella, an R&B vocalist, and Dotti the Deity, a Nigerian folk musician. Both friends and reality show winners, they’ve taken unique paths in a music scene dominated by lo-fi Alté vibes. From Port Harcourt to Lagos, and Badagry to Ibadan, they’ve stayed true to their sound, navigating the challenges of niche artistry, self-doubt, and perseverance. This is a story about music, identity, and finding your lane against the odds. PA 035

From late night sessions of frenetic drumming, singing and trumpets and teenagers shaking their "waists" by the light of the moon, to hard-driving studio simpa tracks with drum machines, vst synths and auto-tuned vocals, simpa is an evolving neo-traditional popular music of the Dagomba people of Northern Ghana that is rarely heard outside of the region. We visit Tamale and the surrounding villages, meet pioneering producer DJ Ebony at his barber shop studio and star singers including Dickson Gawan, Yaa Naraa and Bala Zaaku and dance along with the Nyanshegu simpa group See Is Believing. Special thanks to: “Kumtili” Latif Umar Mohammed and Saeed Alhassan Dawuni for translation. To Ebony, Tahid Abu and Mohammed Razak for all their generosity with their materials, contacts and time and Saeed Alhassan Dawuni for everything: transportation, translation, recording and filming assistance, context and friendship; thanks Mohammed Alidu for accommodations in Tamale and use of Bizung School for interviews; thanks to Dave Ewenson for sharing your research and original materials. PA 034 Produced by Morgan Greenstreet

In this episode we take a rare look at Somalia’s formative, pre-civil war years (1960-90), which saw the birth of soomaalinimo - Somali patriotism. This national mood inspired people to put aside the clan identities so heavily manipulated by the colonial powers and dedicate themselves to the creation of a new, culturally authentic, but also modern, national identity. And this was expressed in gorgeous, lyrical songs with influences from Arab art music, Hindi film songs and rich local traditions. Our principal guide is Lidwien Kapteijns (Professor of History at Wellesley College) whose book Women’s Voices in a Man’s World focuses on popular songs of this hopeful era shaped the changing lives and status of women. We’ll hear beautiful archival recordings and get inside the crucial debates and gender negotiations contained in their lyrics. We’ll also learn why the promise of this all-but-forgotten era have never been realized in Somalia. Produced by Banning Eyre.