Africa Utopia: Homage To Magool - 12.09.14

Part of Africa Utopia. Somali singers in the UK celebrate the legacy of Magool, Somalia's most popular singer.

To mark the 10th anniversary of her death, this concert (part of a UK tour) brings together leading contemporary singers.

The show features Farxiya Fiska, the first Somali artist to have YouTube hits exceeding one million. Considered by many to have the greatest voice of her generation, she has been compared to artists such as Aamina and Magool, a resemblance underlined by her acclaimed reworkings of Magool’s songs.

But for this concert, Farxiya Fiska goes back to the roots of modern Somali music; Qaraami. This Arabic-flavoured music blends the Sudanese and Ethiopian melodies that dominate Somali music.

Performed by solo voice and oud (a middle-eastern lute) and often featuring epic poems, the style became fashionable in the 1950s and 1960s, its popularity spreading beyond Somali to Sudan and Ethiopia.

Joining her on the bill is Birmingham-based Nimco Degan, considered the most authentic voice of Somali music and popular with old and young audiences alike.

She gained prominence by creating the first ever fusion of Somali and Indian music in a collaboration with tabla maestro and producer Kuljit Bhamra.

In an age where perceptions of Somali culture are dominated by pirates and terrorism, Homage to Magool reminds audiences of the greatness of Somali music and an age where music filled all corners of the country.

Surviving two decades of conflict and religious conservatism, this debut tour for Somalia’s most popular singer is an opportunity to share the beauty of the country’s musical wealth.

Friday Tonic with MasterCard

13 September 2014 at 2:00am - 15 September 2014 at 4:00am

Southbank Centre, The Clore Ballroom, Royal Festival Hall, Belvedere Road London SE1 8XX

Price: FREE