Friday, July 31, 2009

soul food: iyaDede

out of monumental pain and darkness can arise true, exquisite beauty and light.



i've been meaning to write about fellow nomadic afropolitan, iyaDede, since i first discovered her a few months ago...and her voice is currently the soundtrack to these chronicles. it is a voice that is at once both delicate and powerful, her style uncategorizable, her talent unrefutable.





'love robot'





a survivor of Rwanda's 1994 Genocide, iyaDede has overcome pain, trauma and incredible loss and has emerged with an inspirational strength and spirit. after leaving Rwanda, she lived in Belgium [where she awesomely sang back-up for the incredible Zap Mama], and then ultimately in the US where she currently resides in Brooklyn. her passion and love for her home country and continent is evident in her words and i am so proud she is representing with such soul, beauty, grace, funk, and fire.


her forthcoming album is entitled 'talking to god' and is an eclectic mix of electronic pop funkadelic hotness. this woman's star is rising and i cannot wait to see what happens in the coming months. in the coming years.

here she performs her powerful 'in my darkest hour' at the Brooklyn Museum (spontenously accompanied by Rwandan dancers).


Share/Bookmark

1 comments:

Anita C. McCants said...

Great performance by iyaDede
and the Rwanda dancers. :~)