Emmanuel Jal’s 7th studio Album titled ‘Shangah’ is now out! Released through Gatwitch Records with distribution done by Sudo Hits, the new Album is a 14-track mixture of Afrobeat musical influences that have increasingly crossed into the Pop music sphere in recent years.
The songs on the Album are primarily sung in English, infusing elements of the Nuer and Dinka dialects that originate from South Sudan.
As Emmanuel puts it: “Since I grew up in different parts of the world and have travelled as a refugee I mix up languages from my Mother tongue ‘Nuer’ as well as Arabic, Dinka, and English.”
Also worth noting, this will be Emmanuel’s first album he has released since obtaining his Canadian citizenship.
Three singles have already been released ahead of the album. These are: ‘Hey Mama’ (released in November 2021), which is an Afro pop record that pays homage to Jal’s motherland and it’s rich cultural diversity; and ‘Rakaboom’ (released in April 2022), which is a playful love song which brings together influences from South Sudan and Kenya.
The lead single ‘Shangah’ and its visuals (released in July 2022), combine South Sudanese lyrics with familiar Congolese rifts offering up a catchy retro-sounding track.
“Shangah means ‘I am or I have been’. The song and album reflects where I am, whilst recognizing where I have been. I want to create music which pays homage to my heritage whist paving a positive way forward for my people,” Emmanuel asserts.
The track’s music video is directed by Ogega Andere and was shot in downtown Nairobi with the visuals capturing iconic images from the 1970s and 80s with vintage fashion and looks.
As with ‘Hey Mama’ and ‘Rakaboom’ visuals, this too was sponsored by ethical footwear company Twins for Peace, a brand founded in 2009 by twins Maxime and Alexandre Mussard in Paris with a mission to promote humanitarian values
Their partnership with Emmanuel Jal is a collaboration for creating change and opportunity through music, fashion, art, and technology.
