Petite Afrique, the album by singer/songwriter Somi, won Outstanding Jazz Album at the 49th NAACP Image Awards, which took place on January 15 in Pasadena, California.
Petite Afrique was released on March 31, 2017, on OKeh Records. The album is described in an official press release as “a song cycle inspired by the vibrant African immigrant community that has become a vital part of Harlem’s cultural dimension – and to New York City as a whole … The songs are based on a myriad of conversations with diverse members of the Harlem community reflecting on themes of transnationalism, cultural difference, and assimilation. The lyrics are stories about people from Africa coming to Harlem and how Harlem changed them and at the same time they changed Harlem.”
Watch a video on the making of Petite Afrique below:
The NAACP Image Awards are presented annually by the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) to honor outstanding representations and achievements of people of color in motion pictures, television, music, and literature. The 49th ceremony was hosted by Anthony Anderson and saw filmmaker Ava DuVernay win Entertainer of the Year.
For more information, go to https://naacpimageawards.net/
