Stories about Music
Moldova's Eurovision participant makes humorous plug for support on official Instagram
Pasha Parfeni, a Moldovan singer who was chosen during the national round to participate in this year's Eurovision, posted a picture of his car which he wants to sell
The rise and fall of linguistic diversity at Eurovision
Eurovision performers are opting out of their countries' official languages to sing in English in order to gain popularity with judges and fans. But is this a successful strategy?
Reggaetón, the Latin American ambassador to the world
Nowadays the region's cultural industries have a greater influence worldwide than any other expression on the continent. Why is this?
‘Jamaica Farewell': Harry Belafonte passes away and the Caribbean tries to find adequate words of tribute
"There are not enough words to say how GREAT this man is and the giant contribution he has made during his life in music, film, human rights, Black rights."
Musicians receive draconian prison sentences for setting fire to military draft office in Russia
While some other musicians from the "older generation" of Urals rock club are either supporting or keeping silent about the war, the younger musicians from the Urals are protesting
Remembering Alwin Bully and Jah Shaka, two Caribbean pioneers with distinctly personal styles and a humble approach
Dominican playwright Alwin Bully and Jamaican dub pioneer Jah Shaka, both of whom passed away recently, were quintessentially Caribbean.
In Turkey, will one man continue to rule them all? The May 14th elections hold the answer
The stakes are high, and there is a growing sense among the general public that if the current leadership stays in power, the country's future is grim and uncertain.
Mozambique: death of rapper and activist mobilise protest and police violence
Azagaia, who died on March 9, was considered one of the biggest names in Hip Hop music made in the Lusophone space.
Burkinabe music reflects the country’s openness to globalisation
The music scene in Burkina Faso has evolved to include a blend of Pan-African, diasporic, and international influences, resulting in a diverse array of genres that contribute to its success.
Jamaican cultural commentator uses Twitter to draw attention to outstanding Caribbean accomplishments
Jamaican Twitter user and cultural commentator Wayne Chen often posts interesting tidbits about Caribbean personalities and pioneers on the social media platform.
One-hundred years later: Reflections on Syrian poet Nizar Qabbani's centenary
On the day making Nizar Qabbani's birthday we need to acknowledge that despite differing critical opinions on his poetry, his enduring popularity a quarter century after his passing is indisputable.
Women's Day in Latin America: Reggaeton, rage, and sisterhood
Despite varying demands around labor or abortion rights, the main thread throughout Latin America was against gender-based violence.
Former imam recites children's folk song in Kahramanmaras, Turkey
In an attempt to soothe the children but also the adults affected by the earthquake, Ömer Faruk Amca, decided to recite an old Turkish folk song from a mosque.
The Rebirth of Rhumba and the musicians who are bringing the sound to a new generation of music lovers
The emergence of a new generation of Rhumba artists from the DRC, Kenya, and Tanzania who are infusing fresh styles into the Rhumba sound is making it more appealing to younger audiences.
Shakira: An unexpected feminist icon?
Shakira represents a model of hegemonic femininity and contradictions that are conceived and represented in her body.
After two long years, mas has come again in Trinidad and Tobago
[T]here is a fluorescence of joy and creativity like when dawn pierces a long and unnatural dark, splitting an entire horizon with a radiance that awakens.
Trinidad & Tobago's Carnival 2023 playlist revs you up, then cools you down
More fun and fabulous tracks from 2023's much anticipated Trinidad and Tobago Carnival, which takes place on February 20 and 21.
From nostalgia to a touch of ‘horn,’ Trinidad & Tobago's long awaited Carnival has a super soca playlist
With less than a week to go until Trinidad and Tobago Carnival, the festival's soundtrack is capturing a wide range of emotions.
Rihanna brings pride to Barbados in spellbinding Super Bowl performance
"Y'all [don't] understand the pride. #Barbados is 166 square miles. A ridiculous number of people live no more than a mile from where their ancestors were enslaved. And from all that...#Rihanna"
Trinidad & Tobago's 2023 Carnival regulations read more like respectability politics
"Who determines what or whose representation venerates the spiritual in the mas? The mas by definition IS the spiritual and the profane. And this is an act of war."
A look back at the Mayan Languages Digital Activism Summit 2023
From January 11-15, 2023, the Mayan Languages Digital Activism Summit convened digital activists and their communities to explore how the internet, digital media and technology are helping to revitalize Mayan languages in digital spaces.