The PAN M 360 team has a strong presence at the Festival international Nuits d’Afrique (FINA), with our contributors reporting daily on what they’ve seen and heard at the concerts presented in Montreal until July 23.
Opening Up To Others With Kandy Guira
Kandy Guira was greeted by an enthusiastic crowd as she took to the stage, and the energy quickly reached a fever pitch. The singer was accompanied by a guitarist and a musician on a turntable. It was a concert with an uncluttered, even sober aesthetic. In fact, with her performances, Kandy Guira aims to open up a space in which there are no barriers, and where differences do not exist. With her magnificent, powerful voice and varied musical colours, the singer conveys her message of openness to others, all against a bewitching musical backdrop. Kandy Guira’s music draws you in: percussive bass, driving rhythms and fascinating guitar solos. Not forgetting, of course, the singer’s voice, which seems to float over the instrumental melodies.
At the heart of this musical moment, Kandy Guira shares a strong social message, making it her personal mission to open up spaces for education and dialogue between all people. She urges us to reach out to others, whatever their differences, and get to know them.
Elena Mandolini
Andy Rubal Sings His Love for Montréal
Andy Rubal and his band had the energy to spare last night on the TD – Radio-Canada stage. Andy Rubal opened the show with a keyboard introduction. What looked like a medley of Chopin’s piano works gradually turned into a syncopated piece. Then the band took their turn, and the crowd went wild. With his powerful voice and unrivalled stage presence, Andy Rubal seduced the crowd and kept them dancing all evening. Audiences could be heard singing the lyrics along with the musicians. The drummer also sang one of the songs on the setlist, while continuing to play. It was a beautiful moment of the evening.
Andy Rubal has a strong connection to Montreal. He sang us some of his compositions that had been written in this city, as well as expressing several times how happy he was to be at Nuits d’Afrique. He ended his performance with the first song he ever wrote in French, much to the delight of the crowd.
Elena Mandolini
Meiway Closes the 37th Edition of the Festival international Nuits d’Afrique
The 37th edition of Festival international Nuits d’Afrique reached a thunderous and ceremonious climax with Ivorian Zoblazo and Afropop legend, Meiway, taking to the TD-Radio Canada stage. The culmination of the festival drew music enthusiasts from all over to witness this veteran pop sensation at work, some definitely with the memory of his last performance here nearly six years ago, creating an atmosphere brimming with expectation.
Only moments after Meiway arrived on stage with his band and dance troupe, who were as numerous as the accompanying band, the zoblazo rhythms ignited a euphoric energy that spread like wildfire throughout the crowd. Performing hit after hit, Meiway had an absolutely huge crowd in the palm of his hand, with a devoted legion of fans armed with handkerchiefs harmonizing every one of his songs.
In our interview with Meiway, we asked him what keeps him going after thirty years and he replied that it was simply the love of his craft. That love was easy to feel and Meiway performed the set with a childlike wonder in his eyes, completely absorbed by his craft. At sixty years of age, the performer shows no sign of slowing down, singing and dancing for nearly two hours. Near the end of the show, a huge number of dancers, all dressed in white, filled the stage doing the zoblazo, a fitting tribute to the artist, and a fitting finale to a festival all about what the best of music has to offer – love, joy, harmony.
Varun Swarup
