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
Ali Ben Bongo
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For today’s Geo Quiz we’re looking for a country in West Central Africa that just voted for its first new president in 42 years. The answer is Gabon. Anchor Marco Werman profiles the front runner, Ali Ben Bongo, son of the former president … and the only candidate with a musical career.
Sondre Lerche
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It was in 2003 when we last profiled Norwegian singer-songwriter Sondre Lerche. He had just released his break out CD “Faces Down.” And Sondre Lerche was aiming to make a name for himself.
Black Eyed Peas in Malaysia
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Download MP3The Black Eyed Peas, are scheduled to perform in Malaysia next month but the country’s Muslims are being told they can’t attend. Islamic leaders say it would violate Islamic law. The BBC’s Robin Brant has the story.
Perez Hilton’s favorite world music
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Download MP3Celebrity blogger Perez Hilton is also a big fan of pop music from around the globe. Hilton has put together a package tour of some of his favorite artists. Anchor Katy Clark speaks with Hilton about the upcoming tour and the artists involved.
Dehli 2 Dublin
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Download MP3The name pretty much says it all. The band “Delhi 2 Dublin” plays a free-flowing mix of Indian bhangra and Irish jigs. It’s a blend of Irish fiddles and Indian tablas, not to mention sitars and electric guitars. Throughout the summer this Vancouver-based band has been playing concerts from Canada to California. Reporter Lonny Shavelson recently caught up with them at a gig in San Francisco.
Rhythms del Mundo
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Download MP3Today’s Global Hit blends Afro-Cuban rhythms with well-known pop and rock classics. We mean that literally, as The World’s William Troop explains.
The musical poetry of Shimon Peres
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Download MP3For today’s Global Hit, a head-of-state turned lyricist. Israeli President Shimon Peres celebrated his 86th birthday last week. He’s been in Israeli politics for more than half a century. Turns out, that whole time, he’s also been writing poems, inspired by historical events he’s witnessed first hand.
Tarzan in Paris
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We end today’s show with a visit to an exhibit at the Quai Branly Museum in Paris. It’s a look at Tarzan of the Apes. Correspondent Genevieve Oger checks it out.
Waleed Howrani
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Composer and pianist Waleed Howrani has recorded variations of the schools anthem, a song that is heard at many universities in the US. We’ll hear Howrani’s tune “Alma Mater” coming up in today’s Global Hit.
White
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The World’s Marco Werman introduces us to the industrial music of Beijing duo White.
Anni B. Sweet
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For today’s Global Hit, a girl and a guitar. Anni B. Sweet is one of the latest artists to gain fame….thanks to the internet. And thanks to her decision to sing in English. See, Anni B. Sweet is Spanish. But as the World’s Gerry Hadden reports, she’s taken on the persona of an American folksinger.
The Guca festival
With all the talk of the 40th Woodstock anniversary, we’re going to take note of another festival that has been celebrating music every year since the sixties. The Serbian town of Guca: it’s slowly getting back to normal today, a week after it was invaded by close to 150,000 people. Guca’s usual population is 20,000.
Les Paul dies
The World’s Marco Werman pays a tribute to musician and electric guitar pioneer Les Paul, who died today at the age of 94. >>> See a 1952 Gibson Les Paul Goldtop Guitar
Blodeugerdd
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For our Global Hit today…a brief check-in with the “where are they now?” department. It’s been more than 41 years since the Welsh singer Mary Hopkin became the first artist signed to the Beatles’ Apple Records label.
Corneille
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For our Global Hit today, we meet a musician whose life story spreads out across three continents. He was born in Germany, grew up in Rwanda and makes his home now in Canada. He’s well-known in Quebec and France — for his songs in French. Now he’s put out his first album in English. His name? Here — we’ll let the artist introduce himself.
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