A SINGER'S SANGER, LA JOLIE GO AWA IMANI!

La jolie go
She reminds of Ciara for some reason


For once I can talk about a real modern soul sanger that actually really touches me.. ahhh it was about time, I know a lot of soul R&B african/french female artists but there was no one until miss Awa that blew my mind..this girl can singgggggg
A lot of times french lyrics and R&B don't mix very well in my opinion, it seems as if it's not natural..they oversing or undersing it..
Her manager was absolutely right to encourage her to join a prestigious french gospel choir"We are one", those sessions def' paid off. Not only that she was able to network withYanick Noah , Corneille and many more..
Awa Imani is Senegalo/Guinean, her parents are both into the arts, her dad is a Guinean singer and her mum a, dancer/actor/choreographer.
As a young'un Awa Imani took african dance classes, hip hop ect, vocal classes, today she's ready to fly solo..I see big things for this beautiful, gorgeous young lady...:)
If she looks and sounds familiar it may be because you may have heard along the sides of Dizziz la Peste, Awilo Longomba, 113 ect, Kerry James...

Here's a cool interview of the sista, HERE
You can see her with Awilo Longomba , HERE
You can also see her with Djamel and 113, HERE
Si tu dois partir(audio video), HERE

Djaa my Senegalo/Guinean sistas don't play:)
Eyee Waye:)

NIGERIAN BRITISH TEXTILE&MATERIAL DESIGNER, THE FABULOUS YEMI AWISOLE!

Yemi Awisole

Is there one thing we fabulafricana women can't do kayaaaa:) loves it..

Miss Yemi Awisole is just 24 years old, yep just 24 years old...

She's already been seriously noticed and noted by her peers and professionals within her

industry.

She attended the London Royal College of art where she received a travel bursary which allowed

her to go all the way to Portugal to learn more about cork production. In fact Yemi bases most of

her current work on cork , she has produced upholstery fabric for interior design.
While in Portugal, Yemi networked her way to meet aclaimed portuguese designer Anna Mestre, the organizer of the Dutch design cork event, of course she was one of the winners.
I admire Yemi's drive , it takes her places. For example when she came back to London, after

she completed her Master's ,the school offered her fellowship as the Royal College of art's first

ever material research fellow...

In the futre she would like to set up a cork working studio in order to bring more interest to it in London..

I'm amazed that at such a young age, she's done so much and knows where she wants to go..u go

girl, work it:)
Here's her webbie:www. yemiawosile.co.uk

Djaa our Naija sistas don't play:)
Eyee Wayee:)

TANZANIAN SONGSTRESS, MISS RAY C!

The Pretty Ray C

I've been meaning to write a post about this spicy tanzanian singer. Ray C started out her career as a popular radion DJ in Dar Es Salaam before becoming one of East Africa's top singers. She won the Kilimandjaro music award for the year 2006-2007 among many other awards. Ray C also understood that to be a great performer one has to learn her craft over and over again, she took belly dance classes and vocal lessons. The 25 years old also had 3 of her albums that went platinum, def' a young woman to watch.

I personally like her voice and her music, she reminds me a young Tshalla Muena even though they are two very different music artists..

I also think that she's a beautiful woman and my only thing would be to tone down a bit her imag and the skin lightning..she doensn't need that she's already beautiful:)

Here's her webbie:

http://www.myspace.com/rehemachalamila

You can see some of her videos below:

Wanifautia nini (my fav' song of hers)

Mez B & Ray C -Kama Vipi

Djaa my gals from Tanzania sont dedans:)

Eyeee Wayee:)

SOUTH AFRICAN GRAPHIC ARTIST, ZWELETHU GAMEDE AKA ZWELE2!

Courtesy of Zwele 2

Courtesy of Zwele2

Courtesy of Zwele2

Courtesy of Zwele2

Courtesy of Zwele2

Had a "coup de corazon" for Zwele2's work and just couldn't wait to share some of his beautiful art work with you my fabulafrican people. This hip hop head is into in graphic print work for teeshirts, book illustration, photograhy work, mangas, caricature work..bref all the graphic jazz.

If you would like to get in touch with him, here's his email:

zwele2@live.co.za

You can see his work here:

http://zwele2.deviantart.com/

Djaa my South African people sont trop dedans:)

Eyeee Wayee:)

GABONESE FRENCHIE SINGER, MISS ILIONA BLANC THE SWEET AMBASSADOR OF LA CHIPIEMANIA!

Miss Iliona Blanc

Rockeuse en sucre

Angelic la chipie?

Love a girl who's not afraid to say that she likes pink , that yes she has dieted for a man once in her life, love a girl who says '"t''es pas beau"= u ain't cute", "ur feet stink" lol basically someone who's not afraid to say in her lyrics some of the things we've all said...in a very sweet tone though lol

Iliona is a proud member of the chipiemania (I didn't say it , she did lol) chipie is a cute word in french which means brat..so there u go.. While she was in college she taught herself how to use a guitar, she's a classically trained pianist, she took dance classes in LA, (I see a lot of emphasis on that by french journaliststs lol) she writes her own songs..

I like her music it's cheesy, it's cute, her lyrics are things I can relate to on those days when I don't want to care about what's politcally correct lol, she's a "femme/enfant"a "child /woman"' and a lot of women I know are like that..it would be interesting to see how as she evolves as a woman, her image, her music and lyrics will evolve..def'curious about that:)

Maxime Leforestier, one of france's greatest songwriter and singer invited her to play with her during his french tour...so see lyrics about cake, ugly boyfriends, cheating men can def'get you somewhere lol...non seriously I like her music it's light and fun:)

Here's her webbie:

http://ilionablanc.artistes.universalmusic.fr/

Here's a cool interview, HERE

U can view the video for""Tes pas bo", HERE

Djaa les gos du Gabon sont trop dedans:)

Eyeee Wayeee:)

PULLITZER WINNER PLAY "RUINED"CELEBRATES THE COURAGE OF CONGOLESE WOMEN!

Courtesy of Joan Marcus

Saidah Ekulona as Mama Nandi

Courtesy of Joan Marcus

Courtesy of Joan Marcus

Courtesy of Joan Marcus

Condola Rashad and our tv mum, Phylicia Rashad

Part of the cast


Sometimes I miss New York, I miss being able to attend plays and other artisitc events, it's sad to say that very often "'the african scene " happens in the West but Inch'Allah one day it will start in our continent..

Ruined is one of those plays I would love to see, it's written by Pullitzer prize winner Lynn Nottage who went to Uganda to meet some of these war refugee women from Congo.

The play centers around the character of Mama Nandi a war survivor and bar owner who uses female young war victims ; one of them Salima was gang raped for a few months and rejected by her husband, another Sophie is so physically damaged and ill that the only thing she can do to support herself within that environment is to sing for the soldiers.

Mama Nandi the bar owner and "pimp'" is played by Saidah Arrika Ekulona, her role is difficult because she is both a victim of war a survivor and an abuser. She wants to survive and will do at all cost even if it means exploiting these young girls. At the same time she gives them a roof, security, food and is capable of compassion.

Condola Rashad (the daugther of our fav tv mum -Phylicial Rashad) , Quincy Bernstine, Russel Gebert Jones, Cherise Booth, Chike Johnson and so many other talented theater actors pay homage to the suffering, the courage, and determination of these congolese women..
You can see a clip of the show, HERE

Djaa we need to see more plays illustrating our courage as african women:)

Eyee Wayee:)

CHIWETEL EJIOFOR AND THANDIE NEWTON AT THE PREMIERE OF "2012"!

2012-The End of the World


The Beautiful Thandie Newton at the Premiere

Love her lipstick, it suits her nicely

Kenyan American actor, Edi Gathegi at the premiere

Chiwetel & Danny Glover

Chiwetel E. looking dapper and chic in his little suit
Wish I could be in the US on November 13th to experience this film at the movie theater, ain't nothing like going to the movies the night of a premiere , experiencing a new flick with strangers...(ok I stop ..I miss NY today)

So Thandie Newton, Chiwetel Ejiofor play the roles of the first daughter and a scientist/advisor to the president in the disaster movie 2012.

The movie is centered around the end of the Mayan Long Count calendar which concides with globab disaster. Other great actors such as John Cusak, Amanda Peets, Danny Glover play characters trying to escape this global cataclysm.

You can see the trailer, HERE

Here's the official movie website:

http://www.sonypictures.com/movies/2012/

Djaa our African movie stars are doing their thang:)

Eyeee Wayee:)

MISS AURELIE KONATE IN THE MUSICAL "TISMEE"!

Aurelie, Felix & Khalil

Tismee in urban french language means mixed, I'm sure Aurelie could relate to one of the lead roles she's playing in the show since she is half French and half Guinean.

This talented actress and singer plays along the side of Felix Sabal Leco and Khalil Maoune in this show. It's

about that eternal question of dual identity , the marriage between the western world and mama Africa. Aurelie plays the role of a young woman who returns to her father's african homecountry where she encounters discrimination, rejection, confusion. During that journey she encounters the 2 characters played by Felix and Khalil who help her find some of the answers she's been looking for regarding her identity.

For those of you living in France rush, rush the play ends its run on November 21st at Theatre la Reine Blanche.
In other news Aurelie is hard at work on a new album, will keep you posted:)

Here a few useful links:

http://www.reineblanche.com/ (the theater where it's playing)

http://www.aurelie-konate.com/ (Aurelie's official site)

www.myspace.com/tismeeofficiel (the show's official page)

Watch a clip of the show , HERE

Here's Mama Africa by the cast of Tismee , HERE

I have to add that after watching the clip and hearing the music , I def' wish I could see the show..so go go go my Fabulafricanas in France

Djaa les gos de Guinee sont dedans :)

Eyee Wayee:)

CONGRATULATIONS TO NOVELIST MARIE NDIAYE FOR BEING THE FIRST BLACK WOMAN TO WIN THE PRESTIGIOUS GONCOURT AWARD!

Go girl!

Marie Ndiaye, novelist and playwright is the first black woman in french history to ever win the Goncourt award. This woman who published her first book at age 17 years old is used to receiving accolades and being celebrated for her work but as she puts it best ,winning the Goncourt award this year is the ultimate recognition for her 25+ years of career. Marie resides in Berlin with her husband and her three children; she left France after Sarkozi became president, she explains that she didn't want to live under his presidential authority.

Marie Ndiaye is also the second woman playwright whose work "Papa doit manger" was played by the Comedie Francaise.

The book she's being recognized for is called "Trois Femmes Puissantes" it's the story of three women dealing with the consequences of immigration in their own personal lives.

If you were curious about his work , here's a list of homework you can start on:

-Trois Femmes Puissantes (Prix Goncourt 2009)

-Quand au riche avenir (her first novel)

-La Sorciere

-Mon Coeur a l'etroit

Here's an interview of Marie Ndiaye (in French of course )

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xackaw_entretien-marie-ndiaye_news

Djaa my Senegalese sistas sont trop dedans:)

Eyeee Wayee:)

BANTU SWIMWEAR BY ETHIOPIAN/AMERICANA/GERMAN SISTA YODIT EKLUND!

Bantu

Bantu

Bantu


If just like me you've never heard of Bantu Swimwear, let's educate ourselves shall well?!!

Bantu Swimwear is founded by Yodit Eklund an americana/ethiopiana environmental studies graduate from UC Berkley who wanted to help develop the economy of Africa by providing work to our people and by manifacturing from mama afrika.

This young woman who's had the chance to live in Cote d'Ivoire, Sudan Egypt ultimate goal would be notonly to provide swimwear, surfwear but also skin care products ..

you can find the line at Fred Segal Barney's, Oak ect...

I like it :)

Here's their webbie:( love the music on the webbie by the way)

http://www.bantuwax.com/

Djaa my Ethiopian sistas sont trop dedans:)

Eyee Wayee:)