Music

With his bright portraits of black icons overlaid with slogans of empowerment, Fred Ebami mixes pan-African sensibility with a pop-art lens. Raised in France, with Cameroonian roots, Ebami says his first muse was Jesus. He's gone on to explore the divisiveness of icons - from American rapper Kanye West to former DRC strongman Mobutu Sese Seko. He spoke to FRANCE 24 about feminism, his new graphic novel, and his desire to show the younger generation that anyone can have an impact.

Niniola, Wizkid, Burna Boy, Davido: In dance clubs around the world, musicians from Africa are stars. And no wonder - Afrobeats, which pairs West African musical elements with hip-hop, dancehall or house music, is great to dance to.

Dino Brandão is considered one of the most promising young stars on the Swiss music scene. The half-Swiss, half-Angolan musician recently released a debut EP under his own name. "Bouncy Castle" features five afro-folk tracks and is a multicultural melting pot of sunny and yet melancholic songs. Oscillating between tropical melodies and darker folk tunes, he honestly addresses physical ailments and mental issues. He speaks to FRANCE 24's Florence Villeminot about the importance of opening up.

At the start of the pandemic, London-based Palestinian actor, filmmaker and music producer Mo'min Swaitat discovered 10,000 tapes in the West Bank while in lockdown there – music that documented a moment in Palestinian history that hadn't been heard for 30 years. He spent eight months listening to the tapes, making it his mission to digitise and re-release this window into the past. One of the tapes he found was "The Intifada 1987”, an album by Riad Awwad. Mo'min tells Eve Jackson why the discovery is so important to Palestinians.

For more than a decade, Tana Quartet has been pushing boundaries and reinventing the link between the past and the future over a dozen albums. Well regarded in the world of contemporary music, the French string quartet has worked with composers from around the world and performed in prestigious venues such as the Paris Philharmonic and the Villa Medici in Rome. The trailblazing pioneers are now releasing a new album of music by American composer Philip Glass. Viola player Julie Michael tells FRANCE 24's Florence Villeminot about collaborating with the famous contemporary composer and bringing classical music to a wider audience.

A Belgium court has ruled that Spanish rapper Valtonyc will not be extradited, arguing that his offenses — allegedly glorifying terror — were not a crime under Belgian law.

She's known for her soulful blues and folk, with radio-friendly songs whose gentle melodies often belie their powerful messages. Ayo first released her album "Royal" at the beginning of 2020, before the months of lockdown and cancelled concerts that saw her revisit the record and add some extra tracks.

A three-part documentary plunges viewers into the creative process as The Beatles record their final studio album and prepare for an iconic rooftop performance. "Get Back" has seen director Peter Jackson applauded for handling the sort of archive material that has gone down in pop history.

Jon Batiste led nominations on Tuesday for the Grammy Awards with 11 nods, followed by Justin Bieber, Doja Cat, and H.E.R with eight apiece. Batiste and Bieber will compete for the top prize - album of the year - along with pop singer Billie Eilish, R&B artist Doja Cat, singer-songwriter H.E.R, rapper Kanye West, Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga, newcomer Olivia Rodrigo, Taylor Swift and rapper Lil Nas X, organizers said. The Grammys, the highest honors in the music industry, will be handed out at ceremony in Los Angeles on Jan 31.

Céline Dion's life, love and power ballads come to the big screen as "Aline" tops the box office here in France. Film critic Lisa Nesselson tells us why she was charmed and entertained by Valérie Lemercier's take on Quebec's most famous musical export.

Thousands of musicians are hoping to have set a record by performing as part of the world’s largest orchestra.

US singer-songwriter Natalie Bergman has just released "Keep Those Teardrops From Falling", a follow-up EP to her debut solo album "Mercy" on Jack White's prestigious label Third Man Records. She tells Marjorie Hache why writing this gospel folk music was cathartic following her father's death and about taking her music on the road. We also check out new tracks by Sting, Tanzania's SinaUbi Zawose and Beyoncé.