Belgian-Cameroonian Lubiana releases first album between kora and synth
The Belgian-Cameroonian singer and kora player Lubiana, in Paris, September 7, 2021 © Joel Saget, AFP
Text by: RFI Follow
2 min
She is one of the few women to play the kora, this African harp from Mali that can be found throughout West Africa.
The Belgian-Cameroonian singer Lubiana has just released a first album entitled
Beloved
, marrying this traditional instrument of the griots with pop and electro.
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It is the Belgian edition of the tele-hook "The Voice", ten years ago, which allowed Lubiana to be noticed for the first time by the public.
Many trips around the world will follow, with long stops in London and Los Angeles.
Then ten years after its revelation to the public, the disc
Beloved
("beloved", in English) was born, in particular from its meeting with the kora.
“
It is really the kora who came to me, who chose me, and she appeared to me in a dream
: I had never seen one in my life
,” she says
.
Then a month later, in Spain, in Mallorca, I heard the sound.
Many griots have confirmed to me that it is the kora who chooses her master, and that it is quite common for her to appear in dreams.
"
His choice of instrument, a large calabash surmounted by a handle, all weighing more than 10 kg, did not thrill those around him.
“
They said to me: '
but you are going to play it on stage?
”, She
laughs,
I was going to end up losing my passion to always hear that around me.
"
Direction London to try your luck where it is not expected, on open stages: “
People are not there for you, they drink a pint.
But the public stops talking, the rooms fill up.
The first one I learned to play the kora is called "Diarabi", which is a traditional song from West Africa.
The clip for this song was shot in Saint-Louis, Senegal, where the Belgian-Cameroonian even retired to
the kora school of Ablaye Cissoko
, reference artist of the instrument, which turns in the whole world.
"
He gave me his blessing, I then had a whole people with me, the griots are proud, it was so important
", she rejoices.
Lubiana's music is like a suitcase filled with the journey.
Between the organic of African music, jazz, soul, and
synthetic beats
from northern Europe and the United States.
It is far from over.
Concert projects are emerging in Central Africa, especially in Cameroon, the land of some of his ancestors.
For Lubiana, concert projects are already taking shape in Central Africa, especially in Cameroon, the land of some of her ancestors.
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