Sally Nyolo: Multiculti

Sally Nyolo knows something, first-hand, about the multi-cultural beat, as a Cameroon-born musician based in Paris from the age of 13. The singer cut her teeth and impressed the world (and Peter Gabriel, not necessarily in that order) in the bands Zap Mama and Toure Kunda, and, lately, has been establishing her solo voice. The sound on her second project, Multiculti is suave and funk-lined, urbane and rootsy all at once. Hybridizing is the operative process and philosophy on the album, including the title cut’s seductive Afro-Parisian-hip-hop feel. But somehow, the culture of West Africa hovers over the multi-culti proceedings, and at the center of it all, Nyolo’s strong-yet-supple vocal style, a model of control and richness, pulls us in whatever direction she wants to.

Originally Published December 1, 1998