Razia

Add Date: February 23

Artist: Razia

Album: Zebu Nation

Label: Cumbancha Discovery

Genre: International, world

Comments: From Razia's Web site:

"With the album Zebu Nation, Razia has created an inspiring collection of songs that draw deeply on the music she heard growing up in the town of Antalaha in northeastern Madagascar. The source for the world’s most prized Bourbon vanilla, Antalaha is one of Madagascar’s wealthiest communities, although there remains a great gap between rich and poor....Razia first heard the infectious rhythms of local salegy music blasting out of the town’s ubiquitous radios. It was one of Razia’s older uncles that first introduced her to French music as well as The Beatles, James Brown, Jimi Hendrix and other Western stars. Her uncle even invited her to sing the latest French pop songs on stage with his band when she was just ten years old."

These influences shine, even when the words aren't in English, and if you're a fan of world music, you might enjoy Razia's "soulful portrait of Madagascar."