Star Feminine Band – Star Feminine Band (Born Bad Records, 2020)
Star Feminine Band is an exciting new band from Benin, in West Africa. The all-girl band includes girls aged 10 to 17 years old who have recorded an album released on a French label. This is an incredible achievement in a country where the music scene is dominated by men. But there is more. In the west, we are used to boy and girl bands who perform catchy pop that quickly fades away. These girls play much more interesting stuff. It is music rooted in various traditions: Beninese vodun and sato, Congolese rumba, highlife and rock.
The girls of Star Feminine Band grew up in Natitingou, a remote town in the north of Benin. They had never played a guitar or drum set before they met in 2016 and four years later they have released an album released internationally.
The songs are about personal struggles, the importance of education, equality, empowerment, and female genital mutilation. The girls sing in Waama, Ditamari and French.
Star Feminine Band was formed as a response to a local radio station callout inviting girls to take part in a series of free music training classes. Previous experience was not required. Organized by Andrè Balaguemon, the radio station was soon flooded by requests. Five girls of the Waama and Nabo ethnic groups from the surrounding villages were selected, and two of Andrè’s own daughters, Angelique and Grace, joined the group.
The new students started a process of intense musical training guided by Andrè, rehearsing three times a week after school, and all day during school holidays. Beginning with drum workshops, they quickly progressed to guitars, bass, and keyboards, each girl mastering all the different instruments. Star Feminine Band began playing shows at the local town hall, with Sandrine Ouei (17) and Grace Marina Balaguemon (13) on keyboards and vocals; Julienne Sayi (15) on bass; Anne Sayi (14) on guitar; and Angélique Balaguemon (10) and Urrice Borikapei (15) on drums and vocals; supported by Marguerite Kpetekoutee (14), the third drummer.
The mayor of Natitingou provided a practice space for the girls in the town. French engineer Jérémie Verdier came across one of their rehearsals in 2018, during a volunteering trip to Benin. By then, Star Feminine Band had been together for two years, and had performed dozens of shows around the region, drawing ever-increasing crowds. After he left Benin he came into contact with Spanish sound engineers and videographers Juan Toran and Juan Serra, who, attracted by the story of the young musicians stirring the music scene in northern Benin, traveled to Natitingou to record them. The tapes soon ended up with French label Born Bad Records, who signed a deal with the band.
“Before 2016 I wasn’t very good at school, I wasn’t sure of myself” says 15-year old bass player Julienne, “but music changed my life. Music is work, and as women we have the right to choose the job we want.”
“Before starting to play in this group I was very quiet and I didn’t have a particular direction in my life, but I aspired to music. Now I am very happy, my spirit is full of joy when I play an instrument” says keyboard player Sandrine.
“Women have to make music because it enables them to be emancipated from men” says Urrice, the band’s 15-year old percussionist and singer. “I want to be a famous drummer,” she adds, “known in the whole world.”
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.