The M&G has been given one of the first listens to the award-winning actor’s new album “Mi Mandela”, a concept album based on the music Madiba liked, writes Zodwa Kumalo-Valentine.
Voices of Africa reported a while ago that Idris Elba, so inspired by the research he conducted in preparation for his role as Nelson Mandela in the biopic Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, put together a concept album based on the music that the late Madiba enjoyed.
Fans of the Golden Globe award-winning actor will be aware he knows his way around the 1s and 2s. He has released three EPs under the name Driis, contributed to records by Jay Z and Pharoache Monche and has staged several one-off rap and DJ gigs.
Mi Mandela is his brand new debut album, and Mail & Guardian has been given one of the first listens, worldwide – ahead of the release later this month. The album, written and produced by Elba, features 11 uniquely curated songs featuring local and international music legends and a few that will certainly be new to many.
Last month, Elba shared in a teaser for the album that the idea of putting together an album came to him while he was in South Africa for eight months, filming the Oscar-nominated movie.
The music, he says, was part of his research. “Mandela was into his music and I wanted to understand what music he liked and in that journey I discovered the roots of South African music.”
The word for this album is “saudade”: defined as the recollection of feelings, experiences, places or events that once bought excitement, pleasure, wellbeing, which now trigger the senses and makes one live again.
It is also defined as “the love that remains after someone is gone”. It’s a fitting tribute to the spirit of Mandela.
Tracks Thank You for Freedom and Tree (Audra Mae and Cody ChestnuTT) are already available for purchase on iTunes, and the album is available for pre-order.
See full report by Zodwa Kumalo-Valentinein the Mail & Guardian
Zodwa Kumalo-Valentine is Mail & Guardian’s arts culture and entertainment editor.
