You can trace just about every part of contemporary American music, from the rhythms, the harmonies, the compositional structure – even the scales – to the folk music of Western Africa. This is quite probably why the current sounds of Western Africa work so well as modern pop songs.
Case in point FATi, with her new singles, ‘QUEEN’, and L.O.V.E. Love’.
‘QUEEN’, from one angle, fuses hip-hop and RnB with drums, brass, and lead guitar, calling to mind Afropop, while matching it with a Tropical vibe. Looking at it from a different angle, it’s a simple return to her roots, and an empowering statement of African pride and international feminist solidarity. Listen to ‘QUEEN’:
Conversely, ‘L.O.V.E. Love’, her previous release, shows another side to FATi, the one which can be sultry and soulful; romantic and full of love – while never once losing her strength, in a smoking summer song. Watch the video for ‘L.O.V.E. Love’:
You can find FATi on her official Twitter page.
