artist

We were delighted to meet Marvin, an accomplished artist who incidentally grew a passion for Zouk music, a hugely popular Caribbean sound from Guadeloupe and Martinique, for close to two decades now and made it his own. Over his 16 years career span, he had the opportunity to tour the world and collaborate with many international artists such as Priscilla, Phylissia Ross from Haiti and Yasmine from Portugal. If you have ever listened or danced to Zouk music, then you are familiar with Marvin's music. That's how popular he is.

However, it's with great humility and simplicity that he converses in the lobby of his hotel in Farringdon on Sunday 2nd July whilst talking to two Caribbean bloggers asking him a wide range of questions on Zouk music. His manager is equally as humble. That night, Marvin will be performing at a Zouk Love event in a nearby venue called The Piano Works amongst the London Caribbean community. It's a huge night for the London Caribbean community since it is the first time in over 10 years that Marvin will perform in London and he is eager to reconnect with his fanbase and public over here.

Marvin has got a very interesting background. It was really interesting for us to discover that he actually is of mixed heritage, his dad being Ivorian and his mother from Brittany, France; which means that unlike most Zouk artists, he is not of Caribbean descent. Yet, from the day Marvin toured for the very first time in the French West Indies in 2006, he was warmly welcome and his music appreciated by all. His first album was called "Corps et Âme" which means Body and Soul. Followed 4 albums and hits, one of the most recent being 'Je serais là', in 2018 with Yasmine. Click below to watch the clip.

However, for the last couple of years, Marvin took some time out during the lockdown, spending time with his loved ones and recharging for what is to come. In 2022, Marvin resumed touring and is back in the studio working on some fresh sounds and diverse collaborations. From the Pacific Ocean, the Indian Sea across to the Atlantic and the Channel for those of us in the UK, Marvin tirelessly shares his passion of music, gives love and receive it from his fanbase all over the world.

So without further ado, make sure to check Marvin's music on all different platforms.

5 shows in the first 3 months of 2022 - sounds promising, doesn't it?

Continue to read on to find out more about the artists and to book your tickets.

Described as Africa’s greatest vocal ensemble and renowned as one of Nigeria’s biggest musical exports, The Yoruba Women Choir always delivers a spectacular show bursting with passion and astounding power. Boasting eleven joyful singers who together create exquisite harmonies, the group is also backed by a six piece band playing traditional Yoruba rhythms and melodies that will keep you dancing all night long.

Yoruba Music was highly influential in the development of Afrobeat, Highlife and Afro-Cuban styles, making this an unmissable show for fans of Fela Kuti, Ebo Taylor or Buena Vista Social Club. Click below to book your ticket and get a feel of who they are.

Stay connected for more.

IQAQA is the first single from Nomfusi’s forthcoming album which will be released later in August 2021. It is a song about a love relationship. The Xhosa idiom “Iqaqa aliziva kunuka” means “the skunk does not smell itself” which refers to the fact that people often are unable to recognize their own faults. The song highlights this in a playful way. IQAQA is driven by danceable Afro Pop sounds with a strong vocal performance, melodic guitar riffs and groovy drums. Nomfusi ́s songs are mostly inspired by stories from her life.
IQAQA was written during an European tour in the mountains of Austria, when she was going through an argument and conflict with her partner. Away from her relationship frustration, she created a fictional story line of a woman leaving her relationship because of a man being too much of “Iqaqa". Also Nomfusi loves using Xhosa clicks as much as possible in her writing as part of preserving the Xhosa language.
Together with the single release, here is the official music video for IQAQA, which was shot in Brixton, a historically rich district in the heart of Johannesburg and at the legendary Roving Bantu venue. A social media campaign is also launched with IQAQA dance challenges, as well as IQAQA merchandise range and radio promotion in South Africa and Germany. The song was recorded in Johannesburg within the album recording process.

Click below to save or buy IQAQA by Nomfusi.

Understandably, FUSE ODG has been instrumental in promoting 'the Year of Return', a 2019 initiative of the Ghanaian government, along with the U.S. based Adinkra Group, that is intended to encourage African diasporans to come to Africa (specifically Ghana) to settle and invest in the continent. In support of the year of Return Campaign, he launched Nana Dolls in December 2018, a black doll line for young African girls on the continent. In his announcement, the singer stated that the doll line was an important addition to the cultural representation of the true African girl. He went on to address the problem Africa is facing as Black dolls in Africa only represent 1% of the market. 99% of the toys being sold in Africa are white dolls which condition children to believe that being white is better. His contributions were recognised the same year at The African Diaspora Awards, which celebrates the accomplishments of exemplary individuals from the African Diaspora who excel in various spheres of life, as well as individuals in society working towards the advancement of Africans in the Diaspora and Africa as a whole.

FUSE ODG has now embarked on the new mission of building a high school in Akosombo, Ghana and refurbishing a secondary school in Jamaica with Reggae artist Chronixx, fitness entrepreneur Chakabars  and artist Donisha (who also happens to be Bob Marley's granddaughter). Students will be equipped with various vocational skills to find work, upon graduation, in industries such as construction, or health and beauty for instance.

For more info, watch one of his latest interview below:

Omar Christopher Lye-Fook, known professionally as Omar, is an internationally acclaimed and exceptional soul singer, songwriter and musician, who has been praised by the likes of  Maxwell, Erykah Badu and Stevie Wonder. Stevie Wonder actually wrote him a song which they recorded together as a duet 15 years later.

Omar was born on 14th October 1968 in London. His father, Byron Lye-Fook was a studio musician and drummer who worked with reggae legends Bob Marley and Horace Andy, as well as the Rolling Stones. At age five, Omar was already learning how to play the drums. During his school years, he completed formal training in piano, trumpet/coronet, and other percussion instruments. He also spent two years at Chetham’s School of Music in Manchester, and the Guildhall School of Music in London. Recording for his father's Kongo label, Omar debuted in 1985 with the single "Mr. Postman" at age 16. He shot to fame in 1991 with his single "There’s Nothing Like This". It reached number 14 in the UK Singles Chart.

In the 1990s, He recorded the albums There's Nothig Like This, Music, For Pleasure and This is Not a Love Song in and towards the end of that decade moved on to major-label RCA. When he parted ways with the label, Omar constructed his own studio and established the record label Blunt Music. He released Sing (If you want it) in 2006. Omar received the Best Neo-soul Act and Outstanding Achievement Awards at the Urban Music Awards, which acknowledges urban music artists around the globe. He was also appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire in 2012. The next year, he released The Man and in 2017 Love In Beats on the Freestyle label, which took three years to make with the collaboration of his baby brother, known professionaly as Scratch Professor (aka Roland). Roland is a Grammy Winning producer, remixer and DJ.

Omar's voice is extra soulful and distinctive although he hated the sound of his voice when he first started performing. He is now described by some as the father of British Neo soul. However, Omar knows no musical boundaries.His influences are wide and varied, including ragga, hip-hop, funk, jazz-pop, rock, and Latin/Caribbean music. 

More recently, before the pandemic, Omar was awarded the Music Honour at the Black Magic Awards 2019 at the Criterion Theatre in the heart of London.

Watch his interview and his word of advice for upcoming artists.

You want so support African artists and African music, check out #soulidarity.

ALBUM RELEASE 17th April 2020

The name of the new album of Kadialy Kouyate "NEMO" means blessings. It's message is that it is the human values that bring prosperity to any country or place.

"This album is a combination of songs that define, in my opinion, the blessings︎ and sustenance back home" says Kadialy Kouyate.

Kadialy Kouyate is a musician, a singer songwriter inspired by the West African Griot repertoire. Born into the great line of Kouyate Griot in Southern Senegal, Kadialy︎’s mesmerising Kora playing and singing style have been appreciated in many prestigious venues as both a soloist and in different ensembles.

Jim Palmer is an English songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist based in Buckinghamshire UK.

Credit: all songs written & performed by Kadialy Kouyate and produced by Jim Palmer

For more info please visit the website or email your   enquiries to kouyatekadialy@yahoo.fr

Provoking and non-conformist, Serge Aimé Coulibaly is transporting us in a world  where Fela Kuti, the revolutionary icon that inspired the piece Kalakuta Republik, is displayed in 3D through his musical greatness, his murky and superstitious genius, his enduring creativity pushing off boundaries and his unwavering defiance. Kalakuta Republik offers no escape to facing the crude realities of revolutionary acts : the sublime and the chaos.

Part 1 " Without a story we would go mad"  peaks away from codes, from what is predictable into continuous individual movements that take us into a disjointed trance. The dancers are dressed in black and white as if presenting a manichaean view and isolated experience of the world. Yet Serge Coulibaly through his appearances on stage becomes a conductor who connects with the dancers.

In Part 2 « You always need a poet », we are firstly confronted with moral decadence and the absurd. Sexual depravity, drugs, madness punctuate the sounds of jazz-infused Afrobeat. One dancer is hurt, heavyloaded while  others are intoxicated, used, hurt, abused.  The colours remind us of Fela Kuti’s Shrine which was both a temple and a night club. Yet, the poignant and enduring message of hope and political resistance clearly resonates throughout the piece.

The dancers keep on marching, clenched-fists in the air. And the fight goes on !!!

Kalakuta Republik will show one more night at the Barbican on 1st June and at the Edinburgh International Festival from 8th to 11th August 2019. See links below to book your tickets now.