{"id":578,"date":"2013-12-09T23:49:52","date_gmt":"2013-12-09T23:49:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/maischna.de\/?p=578"},"modified":"2014-01-03T19:50:57","modified_gmt":"2014-01-03T19:50:57","slug":"follow-my-footsteps-latest-album-from-singersongwriter-gendaahmed-nyei","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/lafritude.com\/?p=578","title":{"rendered":"Follow My Footsteps: latest album from singer\/songwriter, Genda\/Ahmed Nyei"},"content":{"rendered":"
Musician\u00a0Genda\u00a0<\/i>invites you to\u00a0follow his footsteps<\/i>\u00a0in his latest album. Born in Cairo, Egypt to Liberian parents, Ahmed Nyei and Genda are two sides of the same story, told through poetical lyrics and an endearing down-to-earth style – on and off the stage. \u00a0For more about his musical style, the importance of family and his life philosophy watch an\u00a0interview Maischna did with him early in 2013<\/strong><\/a>. You can also listen in to a talk he gave at TEDxK\u00f6ln in June<\/a><\/strong>, just before the release of the first single on Follow My Footsteps<\/em> the following month.<\/p>\n A soulful female voice opens Follow My Footsteps<\/i>: \u201cdifferent people in different places \/ live the same life with different faces.\u201d<\/em> The lines give the listener a taste of what awaits them if they allow themselves to embrace the concept behind the music, the idea of sameness in spite of difference, morality and acceptance.<\/p>\n \u201cWalk with me in your own shoes \/ run with me on your own two \/ jump with me by your own rules \/would you please, follow my footsteps,<\/em>\u201d Nyei sings in the title song, inviting the listener to follow him on his life\u2019s journey without necessarily denying the listener\u2019s own experiences or the contradictions they bear. In turn, this core concept is mirrored in GENDA\u2019s music, a band that could not be more different when one looks at the cultural and musical backgrounds of the various individuals that make up the band. Yet seldom has contrast sounded so complete: a profound mix of storytelling, soul, world music and pop.<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n It took close to eight years from the initial idea for Follow My Footsteps <\/i>to its final realization. It was a time in which the project was exposed to different influences and could develop into the piece of work that has been commercially available since 26 August 2013. The project was handmade and self-arranged right from the beginning. Not only was the album recorded with analogous instruments\u00a0by Nyei and the band but each CD is also a unique, handmade piece. Consider, for example, 7 different album covers<\/a><\/strong>\u2013 inspired by GENDA\u2019s music and texts \u2013 which served as a canvas to, and were painted by individual artists during live concerts by the band (vimeo.com\/gendamusic\/art).<\/i> It is clear then to see that GENDA is about more than just good music \u2013 it is also an experience that touches all senses.<\/p>\n Different Faces, <\/i>the album\u2019s first single, was released on 12 July 2013, a song that captivates not only because of songwriter Nyei\u2019s eloquence and special talent for observation but also because of the harmonious interplay of instruments.\u00a0Different Faces <\/i>is available for free download on the GENDA homepage, linked to an invitation to all listeners to take on a creative role in the video to the single. Anyone could send in a clip they had recorded themselves which GENDA used for a video collage.<\/p>\n All participants will receive the upcoming album at no cost (detailed information on the video project is available on gendamusic.com <\/i>under \u201cBe Different \u2013 Be You \u2013 Be a Part of Genda\u201d).<\/p>\n <\/p>\n