Features
The Joy: “You can hear how we poured our hearts into the songs”
The Joy started their a capella singing in a small classroom in rural South Africa; now they’re set to release their eponymous full-length album
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Best New Albums
The Best New Albums from Around the World (July 2024)
This month we feature outstanding new releases from The Joy, The Zawose Queens, Ballaké Sissoko & Derek Gripper, Ajate and more
Features
My World: Eddie Kadi
For the Congolese-British comedian, music and entertainment have always gone hand in hand. He tells Emma Rycroft about the sounds of his upbringing and his continued role as a “facilitator of modern-day African music”
Features
Youssou N’Dour | My World: “Africa has no cultural frontiers, it mixes genres effortlessly. That’s the future for me”
Having recently turned 60, the Senegalese star is taking stock and looking to the future, as reflected in his My World playlist. He talks to Daniel Brown about his choices
Features
Rhiannon Giddens & Francesco Turrisi: Challenging perceptions of home and belonging
Rhiannon Giddens and Francesco Turrisi revisit classic folk songs on their latest release. The pair talk about the continuing relevance of folk music, the concept of home and life during lockdown
Features
Québec at Showcase Scotland (Advertorial)
Profiling six stand-out Québécois groups who will be appearing at Glasgow’s Celtic Connections in January 2026
Features
Making music in Kenya’s Kakuma Refugee Camp
Kakuma Sound’s co-founder reports from one of the world’s largest refugee camps, an inspirational musical wellspring for social change
Features
Eliza Carthy: "I wanted to throw my arms around them and tell them that they weren’t alone"
Eliza and Martin Carthy step on a plane to the States with some trepidation, but find warmth and welcome in their friends across the pond
Features
My World: Benjamin Zephaniah
Following the sad news of Benjamin Zephaniah's (1958-2023) death we wanted to publish our interview with the much-loved poet from December 2007 (#48), when we discussed his love of music at length.
A Beginner's Guide
Fruko: A Beginner's Guide
A one-man tropical orchestra generator, there can be few musicians who have left a bigger imprint on their country’s music than Fruko. Silvia Rothlisberger tracks down the Colombian bandleader
Features
The Rough Guide to World Music: Nigeria
Nigeria's best-known cultural exports – juju, Afrobeat and fuji music – barely scratch the surface of the vast and vibrant cultural topography of the nation
Features
Best Albums 2020: Fusion
All of these albums received a maximum of five stars when reviewed in the 2020 issues of Songlines. Featuring Xylouris White, Sunny Jain, Derek Gripper, Wu Fei & Abigail Washburn and many more
News
Another Good Friday feat Seun Kuti, Stick in the Wheel, Amadou & Mariam and more
Two Marleys, two Malian legends, two magnificent artists meeting up in Lagos, malevolent folk music from the Thames and more in our latest instalment of new songs to get your Friday going.
Features
Essential 10 Gimbri albums, selected by Abdel Benaddi
Gnawa music guru and lute doyen Abdel Benaddi tells Chris Wheatley about his most cherished gimbri-loaded releases
The Rough Guide to World Music
The Rough Guide to World Music: Mali
Few African countries have contributed so many important artists to the World Music market: Salif Keita, Toumani Diabaté, Habib Koité, Kandia Kouyaté, Oumou Sangaré and the late Ali Farka Touré being but a few
