'POWER' by Muthoni Drummer Queen for The Women
20 March 2020
About The single
Power is an ode to the courage, vision, and selflessness of many women- past and present- who organize and resist oppression, break molds and defy stereotypes, forge paths and occupy space. This work is offered as a living memorial of the political, social and economic contributions of Kenyan women. We name with pride those that history would reduce, re-write and erase. Now, our generation must purposefully add to this legacy with urgency and record with diligence and great accuracy, the lives and work of women.
Video Production
The Swiss visual team comprised of Mei Fan Tan (director) and Ludovic Mathey (DOP) worked with an all Kenyan team to deliver this timely and compelling piece of visual art. Together with Muthoni, Mei Fa Tan developed the visual concept and skillfully brings to life a spectrum of Kenyan female heroes including mothers of political prisoners (1992), the world's Silver lightweight champion and an all-female matatu owners and operators chama.
Set in the McMillan library- itself a symbol for memory, and in the home of Genge-California, Eastleigh, POWER mocks the Judeo-Christian imagination of “Eve the temptress” whose “sin” created suffering of all humankind by presenting highly liberating women, whose exercise of autonomy and leadership creates lasting benefit to the society. Picture my music selected POWER from 160 eligible entries from its annual video competition that is in its 7th year.
About Collaborations
Muthoni Drummer Queen is a singer, rapper and drummer from Nairobi, Kenya. Since 2008, Muthoni has been juggling her creative hats between making music and running Blankets & Wine, a festival she founded to increase access for African artists to live audiences. In its 11th year now, the festival runs quarterly editions in Uganda and Rwanda. In addition, Muthoni is involved in developing the skills within the Kenyan music industry through perFORM music incubator. She continues to be part of an artistic collaboration with Swiss beat-making duo Greg “GR!” Escoffey and Jean “Hook” Geissbuhler. The production duo has been creating together since 2010, making beats for Swiss and French artists and legends. Since 2013, the collaborators have produced two albums MDQ (2014) and SHE (2018) and made waves through airplay of radio and playlists, as well as performances at major European festivals such as Les Vieilles Charrues (F), Les Transmusicales de Rennes (F), Montreux Jazz (CH), Eurosonic (NL), Esperenzah (BE), WOMAD (GB), Reeperbahn (NL), Paléo (CH), Montreal Jazz Festival (CAN) and were named best act, Romandie at the national Swiss Music Awards in 2020.
Digital information
Facebook: muthonidrummerqueen
Instagram: muthonidrummerqueen
Twitter: muthonidq
Website: www.muthonimusic.com
Bookings: s.fubini@asterios.fr /
sandro@nskmusic.com (Europe/ Switzerland)
juliet@africacentric.com (Kenya)
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