Renowned Guinean vocalist Natu Camara has unveiled her new single, “Cinko Mina,” that features a compelling mix of Malinke and English lyrics. This single precedes her forthcoming 2025 album, Lumiere, and features collaborations with Sekou Bembeya Diabate (also known as Diamond Fingers), celebrated guitarist from the legendary Afro-jazz group Bembeya Jazz.
Camara’s career reflects a dual commitment to musical excellence and community empowerment. As the founder and director of Harlem Meet Africa, an annual festival celebrating African heritage in New York City, and leader of the Dimedi Foundation for orphaned children in Guinea, Camara has positioned herself as both an artistic and cultural force. Supported by the NYC Women’s Fund for Media, Music, and Theater, her work strives to bridge traditional African sounds with contemporary roots music.
In “Cinko Mina,” Camara and Sekou Bembeya Diamond Fingers craft a tribute to love and nostalgia, mixing Guinean rhythms and jazz influences. The single’s harmonious structure echoes Camara’s roots, as she rose to prominence with the all-female group Ideal Black Girls, whose debut album achieved millions in sales and was a significant cultural milestone in Guinea.
This latest release highlights Camara’s ability to celebrate her heritage while engaging an international audience.
Musicians; Natu Camara on vocals; Sekou Bembeya Diamond Fingers (Guinea) on guitar and Hawaiian guitar; Maitre Barry (Guinea) on saxophone; Kayode Kuti on bass; Graham Hawthorne on drums and percussion; Moh! Kouyate on electric guitar; Jonathan Crayford on piano; and Oran Etkin on clarinets.
As Natu says in her own words of ‘Cinko Mina”: “I really wanted to sing this song to celebrate our legends, to celebrate Bembeya Jazz, the legendary Guinean band of musicians who were well recognized but now have grown older and many of them have passed already. This is for me a way to celebrate them, to say thank you for your art and thank you for keeping the Guinea legacy by just singing this song. I am very thankful for my deep friendship and respect for Sekou Bembeya…he loves this new version of this song and honored me by saying it is the best rendition yet. This collaboration with Sekou has been a true celebration of artistry, past and present.”
Author: World Music Central News Room
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