On Zebu Nation, the recent release from the Cumbancha Discovery label, Madagascan Razia Said sings about the destruction of the natural world on her island nation. Extreme poverty has made slash and burn agriculture one of the only means of supporting a family. Deforestation has occurred on a massive scale–80% of the island’s forests are gone, […]
Women
Elissa, Queen of Romance
Elissa, one of the Middle East’s most popular singers, recently won her third World Music Award for Best-Selling Middle Eastern Album, making her the only Lebanese performer to have achieved this. Elissa is known for her ballads, and each track layers her sweet vocals over rich instrumentation. Get a taste of the Arabic pop queen […]
Desert Blues
If you’re looking to groove to something a little different, check out Ishumar from the band Toumast. Part of the Real World Records stable of artists, Toumast is Moussa Ag Kenya and Aminatou Goumar, who are Touaregs, a nomadic people who live in the North African desert. The band’s bluesy-rock musical style is a fascinating […]