Ibeyi is back with « Spell 31« , one of the most beautiful albums of the year, which mixes influences from around the world and spiritual themes.

An international success

The Ibeyi band is made up of twin sisters: Lisa-Kaindé and Naomi. Born in Paris, daughters of a famous Cuban percussionist, of the Buena Vista Social Club alongside Ibrahim Ferrer, their first album was an international success which allowed them to rub shoulders with their idols Prince, Beyoncé and Quincy Jones. These 2 sisters signed with the famous label XL Recordings2, which counts among its talents Adèle, XX, Radiohead, or Jack White. They sing in English and Yoruba, an African language imported to Cuba in the 17th century. Their first album IBEYI opens, a cappella, on a traditional tune of Yoruba prayer to quickly switch to the heights and buildings of a baroque pop tinged with gospel.

A spiritual healing

But Ibeyi’s music is also irrigated by tragedies: the death of their half-sister and the disappearance of their father when they were only 11 years old. Moreover, at the beginning of each concert, the sisters light 2 candles on stage, then they sing an Eleggua, a prayer addressed to their deceased father and sister. On May 6, they released a third album recorded in London, entitled « Spell 31« , a mix of soul, R’n’B and world music. This album is made up of wonderful songs, like «  Sister2 Sister  », which evoke their twinness as well as the desire to celebrate women. Ibeyi’s return does not come at random, but at a time when the whole world seems to be in need of spiritual healing. After having tackled subjects such as femininity, racism and activism on « ASH » (2017), or even filiation, death and their origins, « Spell 31 », it is now the quest for personal reconstruction which is questioned.