Pan-African collective Les Amazones d’Afrique is back with Amazones Power, the sequel to the widely acclaimed 2017 debut album, Republique Amazone.
In 2017, Les Amazones d’Afrique made a huge impact with their debut album, République Amazone, singing out against gender inequality. The supergroup originally constitutes of Angélique Kidjo, Kandia Kouyaté, Mamani Keita, Mariam Doumbia. This time, Les Amazones reach has also extended further, bringing in new voices and rising stars from across Africa, including Beninese vocalist Fafa Ruffino, Guinean musician, dancer and artist Niariu, France-based rapper DJ Moesha13 and also Roselyne Belinga, Nancy Murillo, Nacera Ouali Mesbah, Valérie Tribord, Valérie Belinga, Abby Surya and Patricia Essong.
The new album also features the welcome return of Rokia Koné, aka “The Rose Of Bamako”, who brings glorious soul and wry detail to highlights such as the inspirational ‘Queens’. It’s a creative force that embraces international voices; sweet, strong harmonies that summon the rights of women and girls; a meltdown of heritage and new gen talent.
The collective has also proved fearless in confronting undeniably difficult subjects that remain an issue not just across the African continent, but around the world; throughout the heady roots and electronic grooves of their second album, there are hard-hitting themes, as songs address misogyny and violence, sexual identity, forced marriage, and the barbaric practice of FGM (female genital mutilation, or “cutting”).
You can stream the song “Smile” in our Women Power playlist on Spotify / Deezer.
Amazones Power, out January 24th 2020 via Real World Records.
