Yemi Alade’s new album, Insurgent Queen, is a swirl of musical types and languages from all around the African continent.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “TOMORROW”)
YEMI ALADE: (Singing) I dey para. My thoughts don dey fear for my cheddar.
ARI SHAPIRO, HOST:
Yemi Alade is a Nigerian artist who grew up shifting from place to position as her policeman father was assigned to completely different posts across the nation. However her nickname speaks to a broader sense of belonging. She is called Mama Africa.
ALADE: As a result of I’ve traveled from nation to nation, I discover that we’re just about all the identical. And the distinction is – most time is simply the language. However the rhythm, the motion, the charisma, the tradition – it simply adjustments in colours and within the recipes. But it surely’s nonetheless certainly the identical condiments that we’re working with, the identical spirit.
SHAPIRO: Yemi Alade’s newest album, “Insurgent Queen,” is a swirl of musical types and languages from all around the African continent. She sings in Yoruba, English, Igbo, French and Swahili.
ALADE: All these languages and all of the moods that I take you thru on the album are a illustration of who I’m proper now. I am now not simply that little woman who hadn’t gone past her group shores, you understand? I’m now an enormous a part of the world.
SHAPIRO: This album begins with a welcome to her a part of the world, a track known as “Karibu.”
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “KARIBU”)
ALADE: (Singing in non-English language). Welcome to my Africa.
When this track got here to me, there was no instrumental. There was no sound. It was simply the sound of the wind. It was quiet. It was calm. I had simply landed in Nairobi. And I felt a way, a spirit of welcome. And I simply began singing to myself, and I pulled out my telephone ‘trigger actually, my voice recorder is the most important saver I’ve ever had. And other people would run to avoid wasting their {dollars} and gold medallions, however I’d run to avoid wasting my telephone due to my voice notes.
SHAPIRO: When you needed to save one factor from a burning constructing, it could be your voice memos.
ALADE: I’m operating for my voice memos earlier than my passport. I inform you. And proper there, I simply picked up my telephone, and I simply began singing, (singing in non-English language). Welcome to my Africa.
That is how the track got here to be. It was a spirit of welcome. And it saved searching me till I recorded the track.
SHAPIRO: I really like that you just’re not simply welcoming different individuals to your Africa, as individuals listening to the album would possibly suppose, however you had been feeling welcomed residence your self after journey. You had been arriving again in your house.
ALADE: Sure, sir.
SHAPIRO: Whenever you sing in Igbo or Yoruba or Swahili, do you entry completely different lyrical elements of your self? Do you are feeling like completely different elements of your persona are popping out?
ALADE: 100%. Typically once I communicate a language that’s new to me, I ponder, why is it that I very simply join with the phonetic? I get pleasure from being a vessel for tradition and for all of that. Even some languages that I do not perceive, I simply embrace them as a result of it undoubtedly means one thing particular to somebody on the market.
(SOUNDBITE OF YEMI ALADE SONG, “IJE LOVE”)
SHAPIRO: You stated that for this album, you channeled older African music that could possibly be performed at events, weddings, golf equipment. Are you able to inform us about a type of particular recollections you might have of one thing like a celebration or a marriage that impressed this album?
ALADE: Oh. So let me inform you what’s actually occurring.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “IJE LOVE”)
ALADE: (Vocalizing).
As a child rising up, there have been events left, proper and heart. So, the fellows and the women arrive within the celebration, some married {couples} with their youngsters, some girls which are single, able to mingle, some guys as effectively. And all people is dressed of their finest apparel.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “IJE LOVE”)
ALADE: (Singing in non-English language).
Music is enjoying. The band is enjoying the native music. And a very powerful a part of the whole lot moreover individuals getting as much as dance is that individuals are throwing one another cash. There may be cash on the ground. There may be cash within the air. Individuals are laughing, ingesting, and so they’re consuming essentially the most scrumptious meals you’ll find of the night time. Individuals are going to bop from afternoon time all the way in which to the morning. It’s a celebration of life.
SHAPIRO: Oh, what a vivid image. I really feel like I am there.
ALADE: Sure. I am picturing it as effectively.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “IJE LOVE”)
ALADE: (Singing in non-English language).
SHAPIRO: You selected some wonderful collaborators on this album, together with the legendary singer Angelique Kidjo, who’s initially from Benin. And some years in the past, I spoke together with her a few monitor that she wrote with you for her album. It was a track known as “Dignity,” which was a protest in opposition to police brutality in Nigeria.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “DIGNITY”)
ANGELIQUE KIDJO: (Singing) Dignity can prevent or kill you. Dignity, I need to maintain on to you.
SHAPIRO: Can I play you a part of the story that she instructed me?
ALADE: Sure, please. I’d love to listen to that.
SHAPIRO: Nice. Let’s take heed to this.
KIDJO: I began worrying as a result of I’ve household in Nigeria too, in Lagos, and associates. And my first intuition – I do not know why. I despatched a WhatsApp message to Yemi and say, are you secure? The place are you? How are you? She known as me and stated, Ma, I am afraid. They’re taking pictures at us. They’re killing us. And I stated, Properly, let’s reply with music. Our bullet’s going to be music.
SHAPIRO: Yemi, I discover that to be such a robust thought. Let’s reply with music. Our bullet goes to be music.
ALADE: That voice be aware actually takes me again to that very day once I known as her. It actually takes me again to that interval. And, ooh, I really feel chills impulsively.
SHAPIRO: Do you consider music as a weapon? On this album, are there locations the place you consider utilizing music in that manner?
ALADE: Truthfully, I’ve at all times seen music as a weapon. It’s a weapon whether or not individuals prefer it or not. And that’s the reason I am very cautious with how I exploit it. On the album, I’ve determined to make use of it as a weapon of affection, a weapon of peace, pleasure, happiness, a weapon of reawakenedness, a weapon of motivation. You already know, not all weapons should be original to destroy. And even when it should destroy, it should destroy the destructive – the destructive in your coronary heart, the destructive in your thought. And that is why when she introduced up the thought of writing about that second, it utterly made sense as a result of I used to be nearly shedding my thoughts. I used to be already scribbling in a guide as a result of I felt perhaps who is aware of? I won’t see the subsequent day. I would as effectively write one thing…
SHAPIRO: Yeah.
ALADE: …In order that perhaps somebody would possibly discover it and simply see it was a horrific day.
SHAPIRO: Can we discuss concerning the track that you just and Angelique Kidjo wrote collectively for this album? It is known as “African Lady.”
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “AFRICAN WOMAN”)
ALADE: (Singing in non-English language). African sister, you’re a surprise. Them no perceive. Oh.
I believe the track says the whole lot for itself. Once I began writing the track, once I was accomplished with the refrain, I stated – earlier than I even put my verse, I known as on Angelique. I instructed her, Mama, I’ve one other track for you. It is concerning the African lady as a result of, I imply, we have to have a good time the African lady. I see numerous music movies, and in these music movies, you see numerous stunning African girls. You already know, and so they’re simply dancing and, you understand, trying stunning, however they are not actually giving their crown. They aren’t precisely the star of the second.
However this track specifically is for the African lady, is to have a good time her. I believe phrases are like spells. The extra you say, they turn out to be. When you maintain telling individuals and singing to folks that they need to have a good time African lady, it could turn out to be a norm to have a good time an African lady, to assist her elevate her head as a substitute of attempting to, you understand, step on her neck, you understand? In order that’s why that track.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “AFRICAN WOMAN”)
KIDJO: (Singing in non-English language).
SHAPIRO: Properly, Yemi Alade, it has been so good speaking with you. Thanks for spending the time with us.
ALADE: Thanks.
SHAPIRO: Her new album, “Insurgent Queen,” is out now.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “AFRICAN WOMAN”)
ALADE: (Singing in non-English language).
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