Release Notes: Fresh from the release of their debut album with Heavenly Sweetness, the Zongo Brigade team up with Ghanaian pop-star Wiyaala for Brand New Day.
Featuring Zongo’s trademark horn arrangements and tight grooves, the song is an uplifting celebration of life, enjoying each moment and not getting stuck in the past. The Sissala (Wiyaala’s language) parts of the song translate to:
“It’s a brand new day! We’re excited If you’re excited Get up and dance with us! Dance, dance, dance!”
Long time Zongo member Franz Von comes in storming with his unique mix of Midlands/ Jamaican patois. Reach for the apex!
Remix duties from EVM128 (Worldwide FM/ Selectors Assemble).
More on the Zongo Brigade: Founded by K.O.G (Kweku of Ghana) in 2015, the Zongo Brigade have been smashing festivals and clubs all over Europe, with some massive shows under their belt including Glastonbury West Holts, WOMAD, Fusion and major festivals in Spain, France, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium and Malta.
Their first full album was released on French label Heavenly Sweetness in April 2019, receiving solid support from BBC Radio 4, Radio 6, Worldwide FM, Radio Nova and the international blogging community.
More on Wiyaala: Wiyaala, which means “the doer” in her local Sissala dialect, is from Funsi, an African village in the Upper West Region of Ghana close to the borders of Burkina Faso and Cote D’Ivoire. Also known as the “Lioness of Africa”, her music is a fusion of West African folk songs and contemporary Afro-pop informed by traditional West African storytelling. The second of four sisters and thanks to a musical mother, Wiyaala “dodged” FGM and child marriage, whilst attracting attention as a child entertainer, dancer, artist and athlete, despite growing up in a patriarchal society frequently hostile to artistic growth. In 2012, she made the long journey to the capital city, Accra, and won the Vodafone Icons Reality Show. After being “spotted” by Rita Ray of BBC’s Global Beats in 2014, Wiyaala has emerged as one of Ghana’s leading international touring artists performing at top events and festivals all over the world, including the Commonwealth Games 2018 in Australia, WOMAD UK and the Timitar Festival in Morocco. In 2018 Wiyaala was celebrated by the BBC as one of their African Women of the year Wiyaala’s video clip on BBC news Awards: Most Promising Artist on the African Continent (2014), Video of the Year for “Africa” (2015) All Africa Music Awards (Afrima.org) Female Vocalist of the Year and Songwriter of the Year (2015) – Vodafone Ghana Music Awards.
Wiyaala designs her own unique stage costumes and has released two albums, “Wiyaala” (2014) and “Sissala Goddess” (December 2018).
Wiyaala is a committed supporter of the arts in Northern Ghana having created and organized the The Djimba World Music Festival now in its fourth year. Wiyaala is an influencer for UNICEF Ghana and fights for the abolition of FGM, Early Child Marriage and the rights of children. She also campaigns against HIV in her community and around the world.
Bandcamp – https://bit.ly/2XPzkIs
All platforms – https://hyperurl.co/BrandNewDay-Wiyaala