Alice Phoebe Lou busking in Mauerpark, Berlin
Inspired by Music Monday post I decided to make a post myself.
I have always loved the music of many female singers, especially great performers like Janis Joplin, Grace Slick, Patty Smith, Poly Styrene (X-Ray Spex), Pauline Black (The Selecter), Sandra Nasic (Guano Apes), but there are also treasures to be found among younger female artists which might not be so well known internationally but whose music gives me great joy as well.
So here is my selection of three songs.
Alice Phoebe Lou
I like to start with her, because I guess she´s the youngest of the lot and the song I chose is an homage to Germany´s Maximum City, the one and only Berlin.
Alice came from South Africa to Berlin at quite a young age and started her career by busking. She still does it occasionally and I also like that she never surrendered to big music business but keeps control over all her productions, thereby guaranteeing her artistic freedom. Her voice is clear like a mountain creek and sharp as a razor blade, quite some power for such a small person.
Berlin Blues Song
Hempress Sativa
When di lioness roar no dog bark!
True Reggae Royalty, always carrying herself in a very dignified way, her flow is so intricately orchestrated, she´s the greatest MC the King created. 😎
Though there are many great videos of her on Youtube I chose this one for its raw power and the great cooperation with master wizzard Paolo Baldini, the living proof that white men can dig Dub.
Boom (Wah Da Da Deng)
Ana Tijoux (Feat. Shadia Mansour)
And finally you even get two for the prize of one. 😍
French-Chilean Ana Tijoux and British-Palestinian Shadia Mansour!
I just let Ana herself explain a bit about the song:
‘Somos Sur’ is about the importance of resistance, not only in Chile, but around the world. Global resistance movements, whether in Latin America, Africa or the Middle East, are fighting against the same patterns of violence that have repeated themselves throughout history. Which means many of these groups share a similar set of demands. We are asking for a free Palestine just like we’re asking for an independent Wallmapu in Chile, without police control.
The fusion of colorful Mapuche dance and costumes with Palestinian music and dance and Rap in Spanish and Arabic plus the political message make this one a true work of art.
Somos Sur