Stories about Music from August, 2011
Brazil: Blogging on Poetry
The Brazilian professor Nelson Souzza, on his blog Literatura & Linguagens (Literature and Languages) [pt], writes literary and historic analyses of lusophone poetry, with a focus on famous Portuguese and Brazilian writers and musicians.
South Korea: Pop Music Censorship Meets with Strong Opposition
More than 2,600 South Korean pop songs have been censored in the past two years for their "hazardous" lyrics. One entertainment agency, however, filed a lawsuit against the government that deemed its singer’s album as ‘inappropriate for youths’ and won the case. The decision was widely welcomed by Korean public.
Puerto Rico: Noticel and Puerto Rico Indie
The online news site Noticel has started a collaboration with the alternative music blog Puerto Rico Indie [es].
Turkmenistan: A veteran’s view of the country's music scene
Annasoltan interviews a veteran of the Turkmen music scene to explore the last 20 years of artistic development in Turkmenistan.
Afghanistan: Afghan Youth Voices Multimedia Festival
In Afghanistan, Internews network is ramping up their efforts to train and motivate Afghan youth to share their perspective on issues that matter to them for the Afghan Youth Voices Festival and Media Camp. They already have many videos documenting different ways in which Afghan youth are reaching out to others.
North Korea Got Talent? Video of North Korean Singing Contest on Chinese Site
A short, edited video of the North Korean singing contest was posted on Youku, a video hosting service based in China.
Trinidad & Tobago: Honouring Pat Bishop
“Bishop would have wanted the government and corporate Trinidad and Tobago to act on their words, making real investments in sustainable, sensible projects that would educate our intellectual potential, promote our best cultural works and engage so many lost minds in their creative legacy”: Mark Lyndersay thinks that the most...
Trinidad & Tobago: Dr. Pat Bishop Passes On
Netizens of Trinidad and Tobago are coming to terms with the loss of one of its patriots: artist and musicologist Dr. Pat Bishop, who collapsed during “a meeting with a cabinet appointed committee of high level experts on culture and the arts” this past Saturday. Online tributes soon started to pour in.
Trinidad & Tobago: Honouring Andre Tanker
Lisa Allen-Agostini is thrilled “that a group of artists has been drawn together to do a tribute concert to the late, great Andre Tanker,” a musician who “played the soundtrack to [her] life.”
Cuba: Pablo Milanés’ Voice
Generation Y blogs about the upcoming Pablo Milanés concert in Miami, which some in the diaspora are agitating to boycott: “The troubadour who proposes to sing in Florida in a few days is a man who has grown and matured artistically and civically, conscious, as well, of the need for...
Dominican Republic: Rita Indiana, “Projects Like Mine Owe a Lot to Social Networks and the Internet”
In an interview possible thanks to a collaborative network of bloggers and friends, Dominican songwriter, singer, writer, and performer Rita Indiana talks about her musical identities, artistic multidimensionality, future projects, and her relationship with social media and the Internet, among other topics.
China: Music Video – People of July
China Digital Times translates a song written by Chuanzi in response to the Wenzhou High-speed Train crash.
World: Share Your Life With the World on 11-11-11
What will you be doing on November 11, 2011? Share it with the rest of the world through 11Eleven Project and help achieve the United Nations Millennium Development Goals!
Trinidad & Tobago: Apple App Access
Ever since Apple announced that 33 additional countries – including Trinidad and Tobago – would have access to their app store, TECHTT was “curious to see what was available if [he] signed up for an apple id with a trinidad address and credit card and accessed the iTunes store.” Check...
Cameroon: Scor.pi.o's Debut Single ‘Surprising Europe’ Out
Scor.pi.o is a Cameroonian hip hop artist. His first single is now available on iTunes: “The proceeds from the single will benefit a future project of Ssuna Golooba, founder of Surprising Europe.”
Azerbaijan: Hopes and expectations for Eurovision
As Azerbaijan takes the spotlight ahead of hosting Eurovision next year, some have high expectations that the international song contest will bring about positive changes in the country. Aaron in Azerbaijan, however, takes a more reserved approach and expresses skepticism about the power of Eurovision to transform Azerbaijan.
Barbados: Rihanna Helps Barbados’ Profile
Diaspora bloger Jdid defends Rihanna's costume and dancing style at the country's recent Kadooment, while Cheese-on-bread reviews her homecoming concert; Barbados Underground adds: “The world maybe about to totter into another recession which is not good news for the tourism dependent Barbados. Rihanna’s homecoming is anticipated to provide a needed...
Venezuela: A funny tribute song for Google +
Infelix and team of creative friends got together to record the musical video “I'm leaving for Google+” which explains why people are turning away from social network facebook to the newest network from Google. Based on Spanish group Mecano‘s song “No party in NY”, it switches up the lyrics and...
Russia: Vysotsky as Detective
War and Peace recalls the 1970s soviet television series with troubadour Vladimir Vysotsky as a tough-minded homicide detective.
Brazil: Brazilian Singer Censored by Politician
Brazilian singer and songwriter Tonho Crocco is being prosecuted by the State Deputy Giovanni Cherini due to a song in which he criticizes 36 lawmakers from the state of Rio Grande do Sul for the 73% pay rise they voted for themselves, writes [pt] Jefferson da silva, from the blog...
Mozambique: Behind the Detention of MC Azagaia
MC Azagaia, a controversial activist musician from Mozambique, had been arrested for possession of cannabis on the same day that he was going to present his latest hip hop work. Netizens have been wondering about real motivations for his arrest while discussing the limits of freedom of expression. Azagaia has been released and the presentation took place on August 4.
