Stemming from an erudite, intellectual and artistic milieu, Malouma has had to fight and conquer the right to express herself day after day in a country long stifled by an authoritarian government.

She draws her inspiration from the blues and various western influences. In her songs she evokes social themes and the deep emotions she can feel around her, showing a face of modernity respectful of her country’s men and women.

Since the release of Dunya, her first album, the desert blues woman and her Mauritanian musicians have nurtured new compositions, which were recorded by Philippe Teissier du Cros at the Mad Production Studios in Juillaguet, Charentes region, when the band came to perform at the 31st «Musiques Metisses» Festival.
In the studio, the sound engineer encouraged the artist to reveal her full vocal, emotional and creative potential, providing the perfect showcase for Malouma’s sensitivity, for her melodic invention and for Mauritanian rhythms. A unique, modern interpretation was about to cast the singer into the musical landscape of the 21st century, and a meeting of the Orient and the Occident was taking shape.
Various musical influences were grouped together around Malouma and her band. On some pieces, Pierre Fruchard’s electric guitar brought something of the energy of rock in perfect symbiosis with the Mauritanian rhythms. These were further emphasised by Loy Ehrlich’s gumbass, Emile Biayenda’ sometimes-wild percussion and Laurent Robin’s drums.

Philippe Teissier du Cros put himself in the service of the work and reworked the melodic base with Guillaume Humery, who contributed the fluid and natural sound of his clarinets and the depths of his keyboards, discreetly enriching Malouma’s notes.

This quirky universe at the borders between two civilisations was also exalted by the sharp notes of the Fender Rhodes «xenophone» played by Bojan Z and Smadj’s daring computer programming, while Eric Legnini’s inspired piano punctuated and underlined the elegant, almost hypnotic dynamics of certain parts.

The resulting album, both moving and —yet— so different, softly leads the listener to question his certitudes. This collaboration has given rise to a unique, unconventional sound piece, alternating between the energy of the song «Gamly», at the limit of Afropop, the traditional sensuality of «Yarab», a blues song with Arab accents, the simple emotion of «Habi» and the thirst for universality expressed by the artist in «Nour», a song of hope for a better future.

Malouma’s lyrics are full of human feelings, poetical images, the Mauritanian woman and the pain and bliss of filial love. The singer courageously evokes immigration as well as her sincere attachment to a God that transcends all religions.

This moving vision of peace and humanity is sung in the hope of bringing together different cultures. It is a sincere journey that sublimates musical borders and carries far the voice of Malouma, a poet who wants to open up to the world yet does not forget the one that made her what she is.