Published May 21st, 2020 The Hype Magazine by Jerry Doby
“What kind of people try and tell you who to love?”, asks singer and activist Malou Beauvoir in the searing first verse of “Nwaye,“ her latest single. “Do they think they’re wiser,” she continues, “than the Gods above?” From one angle, this couplet is a straightforward protest with a specific referent: discriminatory laws under consideration in the Haitian legislature that would strip rights from LBGTQ citizens. Beauvoir uses her platform to speak out against injustice, and we’re better for it. But the artist is singing about something bigger than any one prohibition in any restrictive bill. She’s asking decision-makers to proceed with humility – and to understand that no matter how powerful they feel they are, their earthly power pales in comparison with the divine and cosmic.
That’s the message she sends all over SPIRITWALKER, her radiant, quietly incendiary album, and it’s one that’s particularly relevant during times of global crisis. Beauvoir’s soulful, propulsive, and deeply beautiful songs always double as humble prayers. When she reaches out to the Vodou spirits, she’s not merely doing so to connect to her Haitian heritage. She’s looking to the Gods for guidance, and maybe a little retributive justice, too. The slow-burning “Nwaye” is a message to Erzuli, the spirit of love ....
Featuring Haitian Dancer Raphaelle François
Video Directed by Hugue-Robert Marsan. Editing and additional footage by Walu Mwalilino.
Artistic Director / Producer : Lanier Long
Comments