Rokia Traoré Announces UK Tour, European Festival Dates; New Album, "Beautiful Africa," Earns Five Stars in Songlines

Browse by:
Year
Browse by:
Publish date (field_publish_date)
Submitted by nonesuch on
Article Type
Publish date
Excerpt

Rokia Traoré has announced a series of new tour dates in the UK for May. She celebrates the April release of her new album, Beautiful Africa, with a tour of France, Switzerland, and Luxembourg and will perform at a number of European summer festivals, including Roskilde and a return to the UK for Glastonbury and WOMAD. Traoré is on the cover of Songlines, which gives Beautiful Africa a perfect five stars. The Chicago Reader says the new album "marks a major transformation and a huge step forward artistically." The LA Times says "Beautiful Africa ... confirms the album title's truth."

Copy

Rokia Traoré, whose new album, Beautiful Africa, is due out on Nonesuch Records on April 9 (April 1 in France), has announced a series of new tour dates in the UK for May, starting with a performance at the Manchester Band on the Wall on May 20, followed by stops at the Norwich & Norfolk Festival, Cargo in London, and the Hay Festival. Traoré celebrates the release of the new album with a tour of France, Switzerland, and Luxembourg in April and will perform at a number of European summer festivals, including Roskilde and a return to the UK for sets at the Glastonbury Festival and WOMAD. See below for all of the currently scheduled dates; for additional details and available tickets links, visit nonesuch.com/on-tour.

Produced by English musician John Parish (PJ Harvey, Eels, Sparklehorse) and recorded at Toybox Studios in Bristol, UK, Rokia Traoré’s album Beautiful Africa features lyrics sung in the Malian–born Traoré’s native languages of French and Bambara, as well as some English. Nonesuch Store pre-orders include an instant download of the title track, which the Guardian calls "brilliant."

Rokia Traoré is featured on the cover of the latest issue of Songlines magazine (pictured at left and on newsstands today), which gives Beautiful Africa a perfect five stars and names it this month's Top of the World album. "It really doesn’t get better than this in today’s African music," raves reviewer Rose Skelton. "Rokia’s work is exciting, surprising, and always perfectly executed ... [T]his music belongs not just to Africa, but to the world. We should consider ourselves very, very lucky."

Beautiful Africa is also featured in the Los Angeles Times' Spring Arts preview, along with David Bowie and Justin Timberlake.

"Rokia Traoré has an exquisite voice and an even more lovely way around a phrased melody," writes Times pop music critic Randall Roberts. "On her delicately crafted Beautiful Africa, the French-singing chanteuse offers West African guitar pop, smooth but funky, not soft, suggestive of a more rhythmically dense Sade ... Beautiful Africa, produced by longtime PJ Harvey collaborator John Parish, confirms the album title's truth."

Read more at latimes.com.

There's more praise for Traoré and her new album from the Chicago Reader.

"Remarkable Malian singer and songwriter Rokia Traoré has demonstrated a consistent desire to expand the reach of her sound since she first emerged on the global circuit in 1998," writes the Reader's Peter Margasak. The new album "marks a major transformation and a huge step forward artistically." Margasak concludes: "I've only listened to the album once, but it sure feels like something I'll be coming back to all year."

Read more at chicagoreader.com.

To reserve a copy of Beautiful Africa, head to the Nonesuch Store and download the title track today.

ROKIA TRAORE ON TOUR

Apr 10 EMB Sannois, FRANCE
Apr 12 La Ferme du Buisson Noisiel, FRANCE
Apr 13 Cully Jazz Festival Cully, FRANCE
Apr 16 Festival Chorus Colombes, FRANCE
Apr 17–19 Le Petit Bain Paris, FRANCE
Apr 20 Den Atelier Luxembourg, LUXEMBOURG
     
May 10 Druga Godba Festival Ljubljana, SLOVENIA
May 12 WOMAD Caceres, SPAIN
May 18 Afro-Pfingsten Festival  Winterthur, SWITZERLAND 
May 20 Band on the Wall Manchester, UK
May 21 Norwich & Norfolk Festival Norwich, UK
May 23 Cargo London, UK
May 24 Hay Festival Hay-on-Wye, UK
     
Jun 24&25 Arts Festival of North Norway Harstad, NORWAY
Jun 29 Glastonbury Festival  Glastonbury, UK 
Jul 3 Cognac Blues Passion Cognac, FRANCE
Jul 5 Roskilde Festival Roskilde, DENMARK
Jul 11 Festival les Suds Arles, FRANCE
Jul 21 Colours of Ostrava Festival Ostrava, CZECH REPUBLIC
Jul 25  Festival Sines  Sines, PORTUGAL
Jul 26 Nuits Atypiques Langon, FRANCE
Jul 27  WOMAD Malmesbury, UK              
Aug 3 Festival les Nuits Secrètes Aulnoye-Aymeries, FRANCE
Aug 4 Festival Espéranzah Floreffe, BELGIUM
Aug 8 Festival Sète Sète, FRANCE
Aug 11 Festival Au Grès du Jazz La Petite Pierre, FRANCE
     
featuredimage
Rokia Traoré: Songlines cover, April 2013
  • Friday, March 15, 2013
    Rokia Traoré Announces UK Tour, European Festival Dates; New Album, "Beautiful Africa," Earns Five Stars in Songlines

    Rokia Traoré, whose new album, Beautiful Africa, is due out on Nonesuch Records on April 9 (April 1 in France), has announced a series of new tour dates in the UK for May, starting with a performance at the Manchester Band on the Wall on May 20, followed by stops at the Norwich & Norfolk Festival, Cargo in London, and the Hay Festival. Traoré celebrates the release of the new album with a tour of France, Switzerland, and Luxembourg in April and will perform at a number of European summer festivals, including Roskilde and a return to the UK for sets at the Glastonbury Festival and WOMAD. See below for all of the currently scheduled dates; for additional details and available tickets links, visit nonesuch.com/on-tour.

    Produced by English musician John Parish (PJ Harvey, Eels, Sparklehorse) and recorded at Toybox Studios in Bristol, UK, Rokia Traoré’s album Beautiful Africa features lyrics sung in the Malian–born Traoré’s native languages of French and Bambara, as well as some English. Nonesuch Store pre-orders include an instant download of the title track, which the Guardian calls "brilliant."

    Rokia Traoré is featured on the cover of the latest issue of Songlines magazine (pictured at left and on newsstands today), which gives Beautiful Africa a perfect five stars and names it this month's Top of the World album. "It really doesn’t get better than this in today’s African music," raves reviewer Rose Skelton. "Rokia’s work is exciting, surprising, and always perfectly executed ... [T]his music belongs not just to Africa, but to the world. We should consider ourselves very, very lucky."

    Beautiful Africa is also featured in the Los Angeles Times' Spring Arts preview, along with David Bowie and Justin Timberlake.

    "Rokia Traoré has an exquisite voice and an even more lovely way around a phrased melody," writes Times pop music critic Randall Roberts. "On her delicately crafted Beautiful Africa, the French-singing chanteuse offers West African guitar pop, smooth but funky, not soft, suggestive of a more rhythmically dense Sade ... Beautiful Africa, produced by longtime PJ Harvey collaborator John Parish, confirms the album title's truth."

    Read more at latimes.com.

    There's more praise for Traoré and her new album from the Chicago Reader.

    "Remarkable Malian singer and songwriter Rokia Traoré has demonstrated a consistent desire to expand the reach of her sound since she first emerged on the global circuit in 1998," writes the Reader's Peter Margasak. The new album "marks a major transformation and a huge step forward artistically." Margasak concludes: "I've only listened to the album once, but it sure feels like something I'll be coming back to all year."

    Read more at chicagoreader.com.

    To reserve a copy of Beautiful Africa, head to the Nonesuch Store and download the title track today.

    ROKIA TRAORE ON TOUR

    Apr 10 EMB Sannois, FRANCE
    Apr 12 La Ferme du Buisson Noisiel, FRANCE
    Apr 13 Cully Jazz Festival Cully, FRANCE
    Apr 16 Festival Chorus Colombes, FRANCE
    Apr 17–19 Le Petit Bain Paris, FRANCE
    Apr 20 Den Atelier Luxembourg, LUXEMBOURG
         
    May 10 Druga Godba Festival Ljubljana, SLOVENIA
    May 12 WOMAD Caceres, SPAIN
    May 18 Afro-Pfingsten Festival  Winterthur, SWITZERLAND 
    May 20 Band on the Wall Manchester, UK
    May 21 Norwich & Norfolk Festival Norwich, UK
    May 23 Cargo London, UK
    May 24 Hay Festival Hay-on-Wye, UK
         
    Jun 24&25 Arts Festival of North Norway Harstad, NORWAY
    Jun 29 Glastonbury Festival  Glastonbury, UK 
    Jul 3 Cognac Blues Passion Cognac, FRANCE
    Jul 5 Roskilde Festival Roskilde, DENMARK
    Jul 11 Festival les Suds Arles, FRANCE
    Jul 21 Colours of Ostrava Festival Ostrava, CZECH REPUBLIC
    Jul 25  Festival Sines  Sines, PORTUGAL
    Jul 26 Nuits Atypiques Langon, FRANCE
    Jul 27  WOMAD Malmesbury, UK              
    Aug 3 Festival les Nuits Secrètes Aulnoye-Aymeries, FRANCE
    Aug 4 Festival Espéranzah Floreffe, BELGIUM
    Aug 8 Festival Sète Sète, FRANCE
    Aug 11 Festival Au Grès du Jazz La Petite Pierre, FRANCE
         
    Journal Articles:On TourArtist NewsReviews

Enjoy This Post?

Get weekly updates right in your inbox.
terms

X By submitting my information, I agree to receive personalized updates and marketing messages about Nonesuch based on my information, interests, activities, website visits and device data and in accordance with the Privacy Policy. I understand that I can opt-out at any time by emailing privacypolicy@wmg.com.

Thank you!
x

Welcome to Nonesuch's mailing list!

Customize your notifications for tour dates near your hometown, birthday wishes, or special discounts in our online store!
terms

By submitting my information, I agree to receive personalized updates and marketing messages about Nonesuch based on my information, interests, activities, website visits and device data and in accordance with the Privacy Policy. I understand that I can opt-out at any time by emailing privacypolicy@wmg.com.

Related Posts

  • Friday, March 22, 2024
    Friday, March 22, 2024

    The Big Ears Festival is in Knoxville, TN, with performances by Sam Amidon, Laurie Anderson, Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society, Rhiannon Giddens, Mary Halvorson, Robin Holcomb, Wayne Horvitz, Hurray for the Riff Raff, Kronos Quartet, Brad Mehldau, Ringdown, Davóne Tines, Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway, and Yasmin Williams; conversations with many of the above; and an exhibit of Nonesuch artist photos by Michael Wilson. Beyond Big Ears, John Adams conducts LA Phil in Timo Andres's new concerto and his own City Noir at Disney Hall, where SF Symphony performs his Naive and Sentimental Music. Richard Goode plays Beethoven in Michigan. Tigran Hamasyan tours California. Emmylou Harris is in Pennsylvania and Boston, where The Magnetic Fields start their 69 Love Songs anniversary tour. Mandy Patinkin is in Portland, OR. Sarah Kirkland Snider’s Mass for the Endangered is performed on Prince Edward Island.

    Journal Topics: On TourWeekend Events
  • Friday, March 15, 2024
    Friday, March 15, 2024

    Rhiannon Giddens plays a sold-out show at the Beacon Theatre in NYC, where Nathalie Joachim has sold out Carnegie Hall’s Resnick Education Wing. The Black Keys play a set at Stubb's in Austin for SXSW. Tigran Hamasyan and his trio are in Boston and Chicago. Hurray for the Riff Raff has a sold-out show in St. Paul. Brad Mehldau plays solo in Europe—in Geneva, Rome, and Verona. Mandy Patinkin is in San Antonio. Cécile McLorin Salvant performs Ogresse conducted by Darcy James Argue in Luxembourg and Brussels.

    Journal Topics: On TourWeekend Events