Stories about Music
Africa's heritage restitution debate extends to audio and visual archives
Unlike artifacts whose functionality and value do not depend on the medium they can be accessed through, visual and sound recordings are subject to the vagaries of technology.
‘Untimely’ death of soca singer Dexter ‘Blaxx’ Stewart leaves Trinidad & Tobago in mourning
Having struggled with health issues and paid his dues in the soca music arena — he was told he was “too black,” “too fat” and “not marketable” — Blaxx's authenticity shone through.
Montenegrin teenagers release an antiwar song for the children of Ukraine
The song and the video clip were published by the media company Vijesti which uses them for promotion of humanitarian actions to help Ukraine.
Music in times of war: Song as a form of Ukrainian resistance
In Russia's invasion of Ukraine, culture and identity are at the center of the conflict. In this context, Ukrainian band "Okean Elzy" has stepped up to inspire the Ukrainian resistance.
Not just the U.S.: Residente portrays all of America in ‘This is Not America’
With millions of views on Youtube, Puerto Rican rapper Residente makes a case for Latin America's struggle for human rights.
Powerful protest songs from Kenya and South Africa
Over the years, artists around the African continent have used music to challenge governmental and military oppression. In Kenya and South Africa, protest songs were a key tool for liberation.
Russians against war are fleeing state crackdowns
They were concerned about their futures, closed borders, and their livelihoods, but mostly for the friends and family they left behind. The fear of persecution still looms.
Banned songs from Nigeria and Uganda which represent the voices of the people
These banned songs from popular groups and musicians, though initially accepted by the authorities, ended up being sanctioned and/or banned altogether.
The Latin American feminist songs powering Women's Day protests
A selection of Latin American feminist anthems and songs to get you inspired on the International Day of Women
Feminist music icons from around Africa to celebrate this International Women's Day
Whether it is speaking out against sexual abuse, female genital mutilation (FGM), celebrating sexual identity, or promoting gender equality, to these African feminist singers, music is the ultimate weapon.
Digital media and coffee shops are helping to nurture aspiring Somali singers
Recently, Somali artist Nimo Happy's popular song, "Isii Nafta," a remix of Somali, English, Arabic, and Kiswahili languages that expresses love and affection, became a global sensation on TikTok.
‘This too shall pass,’ sings Turkish pop star
Fans are divided over the lyrics, with some claiming the song is about the pandemic and others arguing it addresses political issues. Regardless, the new song is a hit.
South Asia mourns the demise of the nightingale of India
Lata Mangeshkar was a darling of the masses and music directors alike; her career spanned seven decades of unadulterated melody across countries.
Ex-Yugoslav music fans mourn the death of Macedonian-Croatian rock star Aki Rahimovski
The career of the lead singer of the Zagreb-based rock band Parni Valjak spanned almost five decades, starting in 1975.
A 2019 Kazakh song about Nur-Sultan reads like news commentary in January 2022
A three-year old song describes in prophetic tones the violence that rocked Kazakhstan in January 2022 and speaks about the state of mind of many Kazakhs.
Trinidad and Tobago loses three musical treasures at the start of 2022
The oldest living calypsonian, a beloved soca parang artist, and a pioneer of kaiso jazz music have all passed away, leaving Trinidad and Tobago the poorer for it.
Global Voices newsroom songs of 2021
As we reflect on 2021, we wanted to highlight the special role that music plays for our newsroom by featuring our editors' songs of the year.
Not just ‘Jingle Bells:’ Listen to these Christmas songs from Latin America
Listen to the songs played in Mexico, Cuba, El Salvador, Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela, Bolivia, Peru and Brazil.
Russian filmmaker Sergei Solovyov dies at 77
Solovyov is best known for films portraying the turbulent transformations in Russian and Soviet society that occurred during the late 1980s during the perestroika and glasnost era.
The ‘immoral’ 42 songs banned from Indonesia's daytime radio
Songs by Bruno Mars, Jay-Z, Cardi B, and more, were banned from Indonesian radio between 3 am and 10 pm. The songs were considered immoral because they mentioned sexuality, alcohol, or vices.
‘Unmatched’ and ‘irreplaceable': Jamaica’s iconic bassist, Robbie Shakespeare, has died
"Rest in Power, Robbie Shakespeare. No one— I mean no one—held it down like you did."
