For Sahel artists, a lifeline in WhatsApp recordings
17 December 2020 |
7:00 am
US-based record label "Sahel Sounds", which specialises in music from Africa's semi-arid Sahel, releases monthly EPs online which local artists record on mobile phones and send to Portland, Oregon over WhatsApp.
Related
18 Feb 2022
Europe and Africa already had more than enough in their in-tray going into their first Brussels summit in nearly eight years. Now you can add coup contagion and the pullout of French-led anti-terror forces from Mali. The day began in Paris for key players in the Sahel. Will the crisis overshadow the EU-African Union summit?
20 Feb 2022
Annette Young talks to Louisahhh, a Paris-based American techno artist about the musicians and DJs taking a stand to end a culture of sexual harassment and violence in the industry. Despite being outlawed by the government; female genital mutilation shows no sign of abating in Guinea. We take a look at the battle to end a deeply-rooted tradition. Plus born to be free; the Tunisian female bikers taking to the road to challenge stereotypes in the North African country.
5 Mar 2022
The Guest Artists Space (G.A.S.) Foundation, an initiative of renowned Nigerian-British artist, Yinka Shonibare CBE RA, recently welcomed key figures in the Lagos art scene to the opening of its residency and incubator spaces for artists and creatives.
11 Mar 2022
Khatia Buniatishvili was born in Georgia and has become one of the best-known pianists in the world. This week she led a concert in Paris with other artists in solidarity with Ukraine. She speaks to Eve Jackson about the conflict, why she stopped performing in Russia in 2008 after the country launched a ground assault against Georgia, and shares her thoughts about the world's boycott of Russian artists.
16 May 2022
Mali's military junta has announced it will be exiting a multi-national military force tackling an insurgency in West Africa's Sahel region.
4 Jun 2022
As the war in Ukraine continues, one Parisian NGO is using art as a force for unity. The "Agency of Artists in Exile" is currently inundated with requests from both Ukraine and Russia. The agency is building bridges and collaborations between artists from both countries, all of whom are united in their opposition to Vladimir Putin's war. Our team reports.
26 Jun 2022
Ugandan musician and politician Bobi Wine says culture can flourish with freedom. He was part of a group of African artists invited to a DW panel to discuss opportunities for Africa's creative scene.
17 Jul 2022
In the Sahel, the number of informal mines is rising as gold mining areas escape state control. Mali is emerging as a gold-purchasing hub for Sahelian countries, while Dubai has become the main destination for artisanal gold production from the African continent. From the hidden smelters of Bamako to the artisanal mines of the Ivory Coast and a major gold market in Dubai, Caroline Dumay investigates the transforming global gold industry.
23 Jul 2022
Unpronounceable volcanoes, Björk, Vikings, Game of Thrones – these are some of the things you might think of relating to Iceland. This remote and fascinating island, located in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean with a population of 360,000 people, is one of the most creative nations in the world. Is it due to isolation, the inspiration from nature or its centuries-old folklore legends? Eve Jackson goes to the land of ice and fire to find out why Iceland has such an exceptional and disproportionate amount of artists.
10 Aug 2022
Find these stories and much more when you grab a copy of The Guardian on Wednesday.
11 Sep 2022
In Russia, artists who speak out against the invasion of Ukraine are being blacklisted. A State Duma commission formed to investigate "anti-Russian cultural activities" is targeting artists, musicians and other prominent figures in the cultural sphere.
18 Sep 2022
In this special programme from London, we look back at Queen Elizabeth II's life as a cultural icon. During her 70-year reign, the late monarch was the subject of countless portraits, photographs and artworks around the world. Artist Nicky Philipps painted the queen's official portrait three times. She speaks to Eve Jackson about their sittings together, the stories Elizabeth II shared and the moment she had to tell the queen to close her mouth.
Latest
1 day ago
Find these stories and much more when you grab a copy of The Guardian on Thursday.
1 day ago
The number of wild mountain gorillas, who are at risk from humans, is increasing for the first time in years. This is thanks to the efforts of conservationists like Uganda's first-ever wildlife veterinarian, Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka, who says they are truly gentle giants. There are just over a thousand mountain gorillas left, mostly high in the mountains in Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Kalema-Zikusoka has also written a book, "Walking with Gorillas", charting her life from young enthusiast to wildlife campaigner.
1 day ago
Brazilian nurses make more money working in Germany, but are afforded less responsibility and recognition than at home. Three women spoke with DW about their experiences.
1 day ago
Critics of Laos' repressive one-party state, both in the country and in exile in Thailand, have been targeted in a recent series of arrests and attacks.
1 day ago
Civilians living downstream of the dam have been urged to evacuate in the face of catastrophic flooding.
