Today's Song of the Day, as chosen by Kevin Cole, host of Drive Time on KEXP, is "Eghass Malan" by Les Filles de Illighadad, from the 2017 album Eghass Malan on Sahel Sounds.
This week's Songs of the Day were selected by KEXP DJ Kevin Cole, host of Drive Time, spotlighting artists playing the SPOT Festival in Aarhus, Denmark, May 6-7th.
Hailing from the secluded commune of Illighadad, located in central Niger, Les Filles de Illighadad tap into their "desert blues" heritage on their most recent album, Eghass Malan. The band breaks the mold of the typical male Tuareg guitarist with lead vocalist/musician Fatou Seidi Ghali, the first professional female Tuareg guitarist, and still one of a very few in general. The group consists of mostly women (Alamnou Akirwini and Fitimata Ahmadelher) and Ghali's brother Abdoulaye Madassane as the sole male. In defying gender norms, they continue to break new ground in the long tradition of rural folk music from the Sahara.
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Host Emily Fox and KEXP’s editorial team talk with artists about the stories behind their songs and the experiences that inform their work. Through each conversation, we uncover the humanity behind the music, allowing us to hear it in a whole new way.
