The Queen of African talking drum, Aralola Olumuyiwa, lived up to expectations last Thursday as she dazzled the crowd at the Felabration concert, held in Lagos in honour of late Afrobeat music legend, Fela Anikulapo Kuti.
The enigma, as she is fondly called, gave the crowd sweet tunes from her talking drum and energetic dance steps. She performed on the same day with King Sunny Ade, Weird MC and others.
Queen of African talking drum, Aralola Olumuyiwa
Meanwhile, we gathered that she has already concluded work on her new album. It would be recalled that the Ondo state born-entertainer just returned from a trip to France after several studio sessions handled by leading producers in the world.
Confirming the album issue in Lagos, her spokesperson, Niyi Tabiti, disclosed that the work would soon be a media screening because of their enormous support for the singer. At the moment, the name of the songs and the tracks is still under sealed lips for obvious reasons. “As soon as the whole arrangement is concluded, the media would be the first to know because of their tireless efforts in projecting Ara as Africa’s cultural Ambassador,” he said.
Information reaching us also indicated that Ara decided to come out with the album as a way of proving to the world that her dexterity with the talking drum is not all she is got as a talent. She is also a fantastic singer.
Married to Prince Olalekan Saliu,Ara was born in Ondo state about three decades ago to a father who later retired as a senior manager at the United Bank of Africa.
She started showing traits of a performer right from childhood. Some of her achievements includes playing Bata and Iya-ilu to a Mozart piece in Paris in 2005 at the 60th anniversary of UNESCO. She was also given the Freedom Key to the City of Miami Dade county, Florida.
Africa has big heroes and heroine (not that thing o. Or do I say “heroress” instead?). Nigeria, the home of African arts, is abundantly blessed with great songsters. So much has been said about this lady. Very much has been heard about her. But not enough has been seen of her esoteric arts. I know she still has much more within her to thrill the world. The Afrikaness in her art works is a pride, especially for all of us who plays high premium on great, undiluted music. May you soar higher and higher like the Eagle in the free sky. (Tunji Ajayi – Author, King Sunny Ade The Legend!: Cultural comm. via a genre of African Music )