SECKOU KEITA
Ni Mala Begué
***NEW SINGLE***
DL 07.06.24
Hudson Records is proud to announce that Seckou Keita has joined the label. Seckou’s new single Ni mala beugué is released today, 7th June with news of his new album Homeland to follow soon. Seckou is already part of the Hudson family joining his fellow Spell Songs singers Rachel Newton and Karine Polwart on the label.
ENGLISH
Seckou Keita surprises us with an unexpected pop turn! His new single ‘Ni Mala Beugué’ is a gently paced love song with a typically Senegalese afro-pop arrangement, brilliantly marrying kora, electric piano and traditional percussion. This first track from his forthcoming album ‘Homeland’, due to be released this October (Hudson Records), heralds a bold new direction for the kora virtuoso, who continues to challenge tradition by bridging musical genres to create a unique and compelling sound, embracing urban and hip-hop.
Seckou and his Homeland Band will be kicking off this fresh new project with a UK tour this summer! For the first time in ten years, Seckou will be playing his Kora standing up, a tradition set by his uncle and mentor, the late Solo Cissokho, one of Senegal’s most famous pop stars of the nineties. Backed by an electrifying six-piece band of influential Senegalese musicians including drummer Matar N'Diongue, percussionist Kémo Cissokho, keyboardist Moussa N'Gom, guitarist Moustapha Gaye, bassist Modou Gueye, and the wonderful vocalist Korka Dieng, this promises to be an explosive live show! This line-up, enhanced by Seckou’s magical 22-string Kora and soulful vocals, is the ultimate African pop music act and brings a new colour to the genre in its most literal sense. In a blend of acoustic and electronic sounds, ‘Homeland’ will certainly keep the audience on their toes and undoubtedly bring them to their feet to dance!
FRENCH
Seckou Keita nous surprend avec un virage pop inattendu ! Son nouveau single “Ni Mala Beugué” est une chanson d’amour doucement cadencée avec un arrangement afro-pop typiquement sénégalais, mélangeant avec brio kora, piano électrique et percussions traditionnelles. Ce premier titre extrait de son prochain album “Homeland”, dont la sortie est prévue en octobre 2024 (Hudson Records), dévoile un tournant audacieux pour le virtuose de la kora qui cherche toujours à défier les traditions musicales en fusionnant les genres pour créer un son unique et envoûtant, alliant l'urbain et le hip-hop.
Cet été, Seckou et son Homeland Band donneront le coup d'envoi de ce nouveau projet par une tournée au Royaume-Uni ! Pour la première fois depuis dix ans, Seckou jouera de sa kora debout, une tradition établie par son oncle et mentor, le regretté Solo Cissokho, l’une des vedettes pop les plus célèbres du Sénégal dans les années quatre-vingt-dix. Accompagné d'un groupe électrisant de six musiciens sénégalais influents, dont le batteur Matar N'Diongue, le percussionniste Kémo Cissokho, le claviériste Moussa N'Gom, le guitariste Moustapha Gaye, le bassiste Modou Gueye et la merveilleuse chanteuse Korka Dieng, ce spectacle promet d'être explosif ! Cette formation, sublimée par la kora magique à 22 cordes de Seckou et sa voix émouvante, est le nec plus ultra de la musique pop africaine et apporte une nouvelle couleur au genre, au sens le plus littéral du terme. Dans un mélange de sons acoustiques et électroniques, “Homeland” tiendra certainement le public en haleine et ne manquera pas de le faire se lever pour danser !
Since arriving in the UK in 1999, Seckou has been on an epic creative journey that has seen him broaden the idiomatic scope of his instrument as well as spread his wings, literally and figuratively.
Nicknamed "the Hendrix of the Kora", Seckou has been celebrated for his ingenious tunings and virtuosity and praised as "one of the finest exponents of the kora". Performing all over the globe as a solo artist and with his ground-breaking quintet, he has captivated audiences at WOMAD, Hay, Glastonbury, Tokyo Jazz, Chicago World Music Festival, Sydney International, Montreal Jazz Festivals and many more places.
Acclaimed collaborations with numerous jazz, pop, Latin, folk and classical artists, notably include Damon Albarn & the Africa Express; Welsh harpist Catrin Finch; Cuban pianist Omar Sosa; AKA trio with Italian guitarist Antonio Forcione and Brazilian percussionist Adriano Adewale; Paul Weller and the Folk Collective; The Lost Words, Spell Songs (2019) joined by the words of Robert McFarlane and artwork of Jackie Morris. In 2023, Seckou released African Rhapsodies, a work for kora and orchestra arranged by Italian composer and Bass player Davide Mantovani and recorded with BBC Concert Orchestra.
Ni mala beugué is accompanied by a music video directed by Mao Sidibé and starring Seckou Keita & Kaicha Ka. https://youtu.be/Nxye6pLdUMg?s...
Ni mala beugué is released on Hudson Records on 07.06.24 on all digital platforms.
LISTEN LINK - https://hudsonrecords.ffm.to/n...
EPK - https://hudsonrecords.ffm.to/n...
VIDEO - https://youtu.be/Nxye6pLdUMg?s...
CONTACTS
marketing@seckoumusic.com & helen@hudsonrecords.co.uk or +44 (0)7748800661
EXTRA INFORMATION & LYRICS
MUSIC CREDITS
Artist: Seckou Keita
Title: Ni mala beugué
ISRC: UKG3H2400024
Composer: Seckou Keita & Moussa Ngom
Author: Seckou Keita & Kruh Mandiou Mauri
Publisher: Faber Alt
2024 © & ℗ Seckou Keita / Hudson Records
Genre: World / Afro-Pop
VIDEO CREDITS
Directed by Mao Sidibé
Starring Seckou Keita & Kaicha Ka
Social Media Links / Réseaux Sociaux :
Site-web - https://www.seckoukeita.com
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/secko...
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/seck...
Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/channe...
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/intl-...
Apple Music - https://music.apple.com/gb/art...
Deezer - https://www.deezer.com/fr/arti...
