REMAIN IN LIGHT
TRACKLIST
Born Under Punches 3:49
Crosseyed and Painless 5:28
The Great Curve 4:08
Once in a Lifetime 5:48
Houses in Motion 4:33
Seen and Not Seen 3:04
Listening Wind 6:01
The Overload 3:28
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Angélique Kidjo has partnered with super producer Jeff Bhasker (Rihanna, Kanye West, Harry Styles, Bruno Mars, Drake, Jay-Z) to create 'Remain In Light' - a new project that finds the Benin-born artist reclaiming rock for Africa, bringing the Talking Heads' landmark 1980 album full circle. The record is a track-by-track re-imagination of the original, considered to be one of the greatest albums of the ‘80s and deeply influenced by music from West Africa, notably Fela Kuti's afrobeat. With her version of 'Remain In Light’ (out June 8/Kravenworks Records), Angélique celebrates the genius of Talking Heads, Brian Eno and the touchstones that made the original so revered and injects it with her euphoric singing, explosive percussion, horn orchestrations, and select lyrics performed in languages from her home country.
‘Remain In Light’ features appearances by Ezra Koenig of Vampire Weekend, Blood Orange, Tony Allen, Angelique’s longtime guitarist Dominic James, and Magatte Sow (percussionist for the ‘Black Panther’ film score). Visual artist Kerry James Marshall collaborated on the album artwork.
This album is the culmination of Angélique’s deep-rooted love and respect for the original: she performed it in full at Carnegie Hall last year to raves (with the New York Times declaring, ”Ms. Kidjo isn’t toppling an icon; she is dancing on its heights”) and was joined by David Byrne on stage. She also performed it at Bonnaroo.
From the album Remain In Light, an Angelique Kidjo's reinvention of the Talking Heads iconic album. Produced by Jeff Bhasker, the film was created/directed by 25 year old Antoine Paley, a student at Luc Besson's Cité Du Cinema film school.
When I went into exile in Paris in 1983, I discovered so much new music, and among them was the song "Once In A Lifetime". Initially, it felt strange to me. People said it was Rock and Roll, but it felt African somehow. When I performed in New York in 1992 at SOB's, David Byrne was the first American artist to come see my show. Many years later, I discovered that Brian Eno and The Talking Heads had been influenced by Fela Kuti and studied John Miller Chernoff’s book African Rhythm and African Sensibility about the power of African music.
"Once In A Lifetime" was released at the start of the Reagan presidency, and you feel the anguish and anger in its lyrics. I feel the same tension in today's political climate. Bringing "Once In A Lifetime" back to the African continent, with the help of superstar producer Jeff Bhasker, Black Panther’s percussionist Magatte Sow and guitarist Dominic James, feels so right today.