Stories about Music
8 July 2019
‘No Visa Mix': Tanzanian singeli stars denied visas to US music festival
"For those of you who still think of artists escaping to America, think about it again. It doesn’t make sense and you’ll lose the chance to see amazing performances."
17 May 2019
Jamaica’s ‘Voices for Climate Change’ spreads its message with music
One forward-thinking NGO is promoting smart environmental practices by harnessing artistic talent to do outreach and raise awareness about climate change.
13 May 2019
Pussy Riot's Maria Alyokhina: ‘Even in Russia, social media is still an effective method for uniting people’
Masha Alyokhina talks art, activism, and feminism in Russia -- and why a new cold war is coming.
29 March 2019
A Brazilian funk DJ was sentenced to prison, but many believe his musical genre made him a target
"I think the racial issue, and the issue of inequality and historical prejudice, are all implicit in those charges."
6 March 2019
‘We've got two sessions': China promotes communist party meetings with English-language rap video
In China's latest party propaganda video, lyrics like “Gotta be the Ready One Player when in front of dirty polluter" are puzzling netizens.
28 February 2019
This Trinidad and Tobago steelband changed its tune, prompting discussion on a steelpan policy
"I don’t think people really understand what happens in a panyard. Problems like the one with Exodus will resurface if we keep looking at pan as pure entertainment."
26 February 2019
Russian cathedral choir's performance of a song about US nuclear annihilation shows that parody doesn't quite work in 2019
As Russian state TV regularly airs segments simulating total or partial nuclear destruction of the United States, this was bound to raise a few eyebrows.
8 February 2019
Who will win Trinidad & Tobago Carnival's 2019 Road March?
A strong melody, a memorable refrain ... just some of the elements that make up the magical formula for a Trinidad and Tobago Carnival Road March.
31 January 2019
DigiGlot Newsletter: Welsh-language rock music finds a place on streaming music platforms
Rising Voices' DigiGlot Newsletter provides a summary of initiatives, discussions, and breakthroughs related to the intersection of languages and technology around the world..
30 January 2019
The beef between two Trinidad and Tobago soca stars is a nod to age-old musical traditions
Lyrical sparring is intricately woven into the origins of calypso music, and its modern-day hybrid, soca.
19 December 2018
Ten quintessential Christmas tunes from Trinidad & Tobago
Some seasonal songs from Trinidad and Tobago that are sure to put you in a Christmas kind of mood — and that you won't hear anywhere else!
3 December 2018
This epic poem describes the grief of Yugoslavs over the death of John F. Kennedy
An epic poem titled “Death in Dallas” reflected the popularity of United States President John F. Kennedy in the former Yugoslavia.
27 November 2018
Russian rapper arrested and unexpectedly released after alleged Kremlin intervention
Husky is no liberal minstrel, but fellow rappers rushed to his support when he was arrested. Then a state TV executive bragged about the Kremlin's efforts to release him.
26 November 2018
Despite threats of arrest, rap song criticizing military rule goes viral in Thailand
As a response to the 40-million-view music video, the Thai government launched its own rap song celebrating innovation and progress (it flopped).
14 November 2018
Jamaican dancehall artist hits a nerve by ‘bleaching’ her skin — did fans get the message?
"I wanted to create awareness of 'Colorism' and it was ... done intentionally to create shock value so that I could ... deliver the message in my music," Spice said.
1 November 2018
Sarajevo awards honorary citizenship to UK heavy metal star Bruce Dickinson
Iron Maiden's Bruce Dickenson is granted honorary citizenship for the moral support he gave the people of Sarajevo during a 1994 visit to the besieged city.
31 October 2018
For Calypso History Month in Trinidad & Tobago, #metoo does a double-take on empowering tunes
Readers offer a few suggestions for calypsos that make female empowerment their priority.
23 October 2018
Trinidad & Tobago loses ‘The Mighty Shadow’, the ‘bassman’ of calypso
"When all other calypsonians in the early 1970s had six sheets of music, Shadow had seven, the additional one for the bass guitar."
18 October 2018
For Calypso History Month in Trinidad and Tobago, six tunes for the #metoo era
In a genre that has often painted women in a negative light, the tunes that broke the mould are etched forever in the national consciousness.
1 October 2018
Ken ‘Professor’ Philmore, Trinidadian musician who took steel pan music ‘by storm’, dies
"This is the equivalent of a Brahms, Bach or Beethoven passing. This is huge. This is a loss."
