Some of my early mornings be it whether I work out, reading
the newspaper or surfing the internet are ruled by sensational soulful and
jazzy voices of fabulous female singers who through their artistry have shared
messages beautifully. Some of the voices are that of the likes of Nigerian born
Sade, Ivorian French based singer Fatoumata Diawara, South African songstress
Lira and American singer/poet Jill Scott to name drop a few.
The music from the mentioned ladies possesses a certain
level of energy that I cannot come to describe and a positive message of
encouragement. Take for instance Jill Scott’s song “Do You Remember” that
takes you back to the fun and troubling moments that define the beauty of a
relationship between a man and a woman.
Ever since the Philadelphia born singer Jill Scott was given
a platform to share her talents with the world by Amir “Questlove” Thompson, drummer
and producer of hip hop band The Roots, Scott has never fallen short of giving
her best and sharing her experience in the game of love. Her first album which
was released in the year 2000 “Who is Jill Scott: Words and Sounds Volume 1”
reached multi-platinum status and gifted the singer/songwriter with an
opportunity to spread her beautiful voice to a global ear.
Another woman who has touched my music soul and convinced my
ear is Nigerian born and British based soulful jazz and “Smooth Operator” singer Sade. Her successful solo career has seen
her produce numerous songs and collaborated with some of the world’s legendary
acts which led to her receiving an O.B.E from Prince Charles for her
contribution in music. From the 1980’s to present day, Sade still is a force
and a highly rated musician.
Miss Lira, the darling of South African music is the other
lady whose beautiful soft voice has earned much attention of my ear. Its songs
such as “Phakade”, “Raise again” and “Mali” that has given the star status as
one of the top female artist to emerge from Africa. The Daveyton born singer is
an inspirational and influential human-being with a voice that has ignited many
women across the global with a certain spirit a modern woman requires to face
the challenges of life. Lira is an award
winning muso and proper a career highlight for her was when she performed at
the Obama couple Inauguration Ball celebrating
the re-election of US President Barack Obama.
What these fabulous voices have in common is the talent of
telling a story that resonates with all.
Ashley Mokwena
Twitter: @ashfonik
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