Another Good Friday Playlist: International Women’s Day Special | Songlines
Friday, March 8, 2024

Another Good Friday Playlist: International Women’s Day Special

Aynur Doğan, Aoife O’Donovan, Felukah and others feature in a truly international selection of new songs perfect for International Women’s Day.

Aoife O Donovan (C) Sasha Israel 4B5A8079

Aoife O'Donovan (Photo by Sasha Israel)

There are some important albums on the way from Aynur Doğan and Aoife O’Donovan, two artists we’ve featured plenty in Songlines before, and hopefully a few surprises too in our latest Another Good Friday instalment.

Aynur Doğan ‘Hekîmo’

The stunning opening track from Aynur Doğan’s just-released eighth album, Rabe. This is just Aynur’s voice, building and building, then pausing, reflecting, before building again. We called her ‘the voice of Kurdish folk from exile’ and here she adapts words by 19th-century Kurdish poet and singer Evdalê Zeynikê, with only the accompaniment of Hayden Chisholm’s saxophone. It’s one of many stand-out tracks on a new album that also includes collaborations with Franz von Chossy, Michael League and Wu Man. RUSS SLATER JOHNSON

Felukah ‘Batwanes Beek’

Dubbed both an ‘Arabfuturist songstress’ and Egypt’s ‘neo-soul rap queen’, Felukah has a lot to live up to. However, instead of shying away from legacy with her latest release, she’s turned it up a notch by putting out her own version of ‘Batwanes Beek’, a song originally released in the 90s by ‘The Algerian Rose’ Warda Al-Jazairia. However, Felukah has succeeded in making the track her own, incorporating harder-hitting beats, slang from all over the world and a tempo which betrays her rap background. This track is a perfect listen for International Women’s Day, as not only does it forge a connection between two female powerhouses but affirms that: ‘behind every other strong girl is a baba who let a mother lead.' ERIN COBBY

Aoife O’Donovan ‘Daughters’

The upcoming new album, All My Friends, by US singer and musician O’Donovan is something of a knock-out. Inspired by the history of women’s rights in the US, the album takes that legacy and evolution and infuses it with her own experiences. She does it no better than on recent single ‘Daughters’ which pays homage to the suffragettes who fought for the 19th amendment, though opening lines like ‘Looking back from the next century, what will they see?’ could just as easily be about O’Donovan’s own daughters and what the future might bring. With lush orchestration and a children’s choir, this is one of the most ambitious projects yet from O’Donovan. RUSS SLATER JOHNSON

Lana Lubany ‘STANNA’

‘STANNA’ in Arabic means ‘just you wait,’ and that’s exactly what we’ve been doing with bated breath since Lana Lubany released her concept project, The Holy Land, last year. Using the full range of her vocal repertoire, Lubany switches between smooth vocals and more spoken tones in the track while also using both echoes and whispered words. Together, this gives the impression that this empowered and playful artist is all around you, spreading the self-possessed message of: ‘you know I love myself / is it so wrong?’ ERIN COBBY

Oriana Ikomo ‘Imma Pleaser’

Harmonious chords set off by staccato percussion open Oriana Ikomo’s second single ‘IMMA PLEASER’. Working with a jazzy, minimalist R&B feel, the song encompasses the message of wanting to be authentically accepted for who you are – and when to say no, even if ‘you’re a giver’. The importance of boundaries is reflected musically by the song's repeated refrain and the sudden culmination of the track. This attention to rhythmic timing, combined with Ikomo’s stunning vocals, make this a strong release for the Brussels-based artist. ERIN COBBY

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