PRI’s The World presents the Global Hit, a daily spotlight on international musical artists or trends. Created by The World’s Marco Werman, the Global Hit features interviews with musicians, critics and deejays around the globe. He is also one of the curators of the South By Southwest Musical Festival (SXSW) – “All Music Is World Music.” Subscribe and follow:
Global Hit
Syrian Wedding Singer Becomes a Star in US
The American independent record label Sublime Frequencies released some of Omar Souleyman’s music and now the hippest of the hip want to be in his presence.
Video: Tunisian’s Emel Mathlouthi Sings ‘My Word is Free’
Looking at a song that became a musical symbol for the Arab Spring.
Video: Indian Sitar Player Anoushka Shankar’s ‘Traveller’
In her latest album called “Traveller,” the sitarist tackles Spanish flamenco.
Lunch Beat is the Latest Dance Craze Sweeping Across Europe
Thousands of workers across Europe dance their brains out, at their city’s one-hour nightclub, in the daytime.
The Royal Jubilee, The Sex Pistols and Me
Now, as in 1977, during the Silver jubilee, the Sex Pistols’ song “God Save the Queen” offers an alternative anthem for the times.
Faroe Islands’ Teitur Lets the Dog Drive Home
The World’s Carol Zall profiles Faroese singer-songwriter Teitur Lassen whose new CD is “Let the Dog Drive Home.”
Angolan Musicians In Portugal Mix Styles
Musicians with Angolan roots and living in Portugal hit upon a new fresh sound.
Regina Spektor: Her Russian Roots and New Music
Singer-songwriter Regina Spektor’s latest album, “What We Saw from the Cheap Seats” includes songs from her Russian roots.
Sonia M’Barek: Tunisian Singer with Roots in Medieval Iberian Kingdom
Tunisian singer Sonia M’Barek performs a musical style with roots in the courts of Al-Andalus, the medieval Muslim kingdom on the Iberian Peninsula.
Ebo Taylor: Ghana’s Highlife Guitarist on the Appia Kwa Bridge
Ghana’s Ebo Taylor talks to Marco Werman about his latest album, Appia Kwa Bridge. Taylor is a master of the Ghanaian music style, highlife.
Peru’s Master Percussionist: Alex Acuña
This year at Peru’s annual cajon festival, Peru paid homage to Peruvian master percussionist Alex Acuña. He’s been drumming for more than 50 years, with musicians from Elvis Presley to Weather Report. Mitra Taj sent us this audio snapshot.
Hugh Masekela Celebrates South African Wedding Songs On ‘Jabulani’
Mannasseh Phiri, our DJ in Zambia, plays us a couple of tracks from Hugh Masekela’s latest album “Jabulani.” The album is a collection of traditional South African wedding songs Masekela heard growing up in the townships of Johannesburg.
Scottish Band Oi Polloi Working to Popularize Gaelic
Speaking Gaelic used to be discouraged in Scotland, but the Scottish band Oi Polloi is doing its part to popularize the language.
The Bombay Royale: Retro-Bollywood Music from Australia
The songs on the new album “You Me Bullets Love” sound like the soundtrack to a long lost Bollywood-James Bond film. But there is no film and the music is new. The soundtrack to this imaginary film is by the Australia-based band, The Bombay Royale.
Iranian Rapper Shahin Najafi Faces Fatwa for ‘Blasphemous’ Song
Rapper Shahin Najafi received a fatwa this past week for his controversial new song, Naqi. An Islamic website posted a $100,000 bounty on his life. But what’s really the controversy?
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