Aṣa
(...)
Soul, pop, world music, folk, funk, jazz...
(...)
Her ever-present acoustic guitar strumming fronts arrangements that combine elegant strings, drums, percussion and Hammond organ to create a record whose unique cultural fusion effortlessly blends underground/niche credibility with broad mainstream appeal...
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Aṣa
(pronounced "Asha"; born 17 September 1982)
is a Nigerian French singer, songwriter, and recording artist. Her stage name "Aṣa" means "Hawk" in Yoruba.
Born Bukola Elemide, Aṣa was born in Paris, France to her Nigerian parents. Her family returned to live in Nigeria when she was two. Aṣa grew up in Alagbole, a border town in Ogun state near Lagos, in the south-western part of Nigeria. Twenty years later, Aṣa returned to Paris where her life as an artist took off.
Whenever Asa came home from school in Nigeria, she discovered musical acts like Erykah Badu, D'Angelo, Raphael Saadiq, Lauryn Hill, Femi Kuti and Angélique Kidjo. This was while she was in pursuit of educational excellence, and these musical acts are whose footprints she dreamed of following.
-Aṣa was the only female child in the family and had three brothers. At a young age she began to look after the house during her parents' frequent absences. This is when Aṣa started to sing. Over the years her father had built up a fine collection of records featuring soul classics and Nigerian music, including Marvin Gaye, Fela Kuti, Bob Marley, Aretha Franklin, King Sunny Adé, Ebenezer Obey and Lagbaja and Asa went on to draw inspiration from them.
'In 2004 Aṣa met her manager and friend, Janet, who introduced her to Cobhams Emmanuel Asuquo, who in turn became her musical partner and producer.
'At this stage of her life Aṣa returned to Paris. Back in Nigeria, her first single, "Eyé Adaba," then "Jailer," were beginning to get airtime. Aṣa soon signed to Naïve Records. Partnered with Cobhams, and with the new involvement of Christophe Dupouy, she produced her FIRST ALBUM , ''Aṣa''. The release of the album saw Aṣa win the prestigious French ''Constantin Award'' in 2008, where she was voted best fresh talent of 10 singers or groups by a jury of 19 music-industry specialists in Paris.
-''(...)Which results in Asa`s album combining insightful 21st Century love songs like `Subway` and `Bibanke` with the more socially-conscious morality tales of tracks like (the first single) 'Fire On The Mountain' and the anti-slavery-themed 'Jailer': "With `Fire On The Mountain`, my producer Cobhams (Asuquo) and I are talking about all the things that are happening right now in the world and how, though we KNOW about them, we`re not doing much ABOUT them", she explains: "It talks about the wars, the famine, incest... And we`re really trying to bring people`s attention to the indifference of the modern world towards all the these problems. Then 'Jailer' is a song about an oppressor. At one point in my life I was going through a stressful moment where I got caught in the web of a bad record deal. So, with the whole situation still causing me problems in Lagos - I have death threats over there because I moved away to Paris - that song was actually a very personal way for me to speak out through my music and say what I`m feeling, in the form of a conversation between a prisoner and a jailer.(...)".''(...) And, with me coming from Nigeria, lyrically it has a lot do with my childhood, my growth and the path that I`ve chosen. With lot of people my age in Lagos having lost hope, I felt that through my music I could help these people see life in another way. Which is why, at the end of the day, hope is the one theme that connects all the songs.(...)"
Her SECOND ALBUM, ''Beautiful Imperfection'', was released on 25 October 2010. The lead single from Beautiful Imperfection is titled "Be My Man" and was released in late September. A video for the song was released in mid-October. She also performed with Féfé at the Sydney Festival in 2011
(...)
Discography-Albums
2007 Aṣa (Asha)
2009 Live in Paris
2010 Beautiful Imperfection
2014 Bed of Stone
Σ X E T I K A
https://www.facebook.com/asaofficial
http://asa-official.com/
Youtube -ASA: VIDEOS
-CNN African Voices: Meet Asa, African pop legend in the making - 30 November 2011
-'Beautitful Imperfection' BBC review 31 March 2011
-The Guardian album review by Caroline Sullivan 31 March 2011
-Acoustic Session on Morning Becomes Eclectic JAN 23, 2009
-NPR interview by Rita Houston - 5 March 2009
-Asa interview by Pete Lewis, 'Blues & Soul' March 2008
-http://www.gbedunation.com/profile/ASA
-ASA on CNN
-New band of the day, UK Guardian Newspaper
-UK Telegraph Newspaper Profile
-Asa on BBC2's Later with Jools Holland
-BHF Magazine interview
-Official Japanese Website
-Review of self titled album on The Album Project
-SoulRnB.com fanpage
-Asa Performs “Dead Again” For Comité Des Reprises
ΠΗΓΗ
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A%E1%B9%A3a
ΕΝΔΕΙΚΤΙΚΑ VIDEOS
Asha - ''So Beautiful''
------------------
This song is dedicated to all the beautiful mothers in the world.
------------------------
Beautiful is your name
Wonderful is what you are to me
It's you I see in my dreams
Everyday and I pray for you
Queen of my life
You are so beautiful
Mama
So beautiful
Emi mo mama kan - I know a mother
Talo ri yeye yen? - Who has seen that mother?
Mama mi o roju ri - My mother was never hesitant
That is why I'm loving you
Nitori omo - Because of her children
O jiya n'ile oko - She suffered in her matrimonial home
Mama mi o roju ri
That is why I'm loving you
La la la la la
E bami kira fun mama mi - Please hail my mother
Orisha bi iya o kosi laye - There's no idol like a mother in this world.
La la la la la
Woman
There is no one like you
Nitori omo
O jiya nile oko
Mama mi o roju ri
That is why I'm loving you....
Yeye ni wura - Mother is gold
Baba ni jigi - Father is a mirror.
Asa - ''the place to be''
Verse 1:
There's a place I long to be
where the air's wide and free
It's a little haven just for me.
I can let my hair down and be me
Just a smile for a start
and it only takes a spark
to begin a fire in your heart
wouldn't you agree?
Chorus
I believe that i can be
only the best in whatever I do
guaranteed to take the lead
only the best in whatever I do
guaranteed yes indeed
to be the best in whatever I do
Verse 2:
There's a place not far away
where the sky is never gray
orange as the evening setting sun
a place that has a friend for everyone
where the smile will warm your heart
and the people think about
everything that make your dream come true
everything that's you
Chorus
I believe that i can be
only the best in whatever I do
guaranteed to take the lead
only the best in whatever I do
guaranteed yes indeed
to be the best in whatever I do
wouldn't you take my hand and let me lead?
wouldn't you rather trust me?
Bridge
There's a place I long to be
where the air's wide and free
I can let my hair down and be me
wouldn't you agree?
Chorus
I believe that I can be
only the best in whatever I do
guaranteed to take the lead
only the best in whatever I do
guaranteed yes indeed
to be the best in whatever I do
wouldn't you take my hand and let me lead?
wouldn't you rather trust me?
Bridge
Am I simple?
simple as a tree
simple as the water
simple as a child's heart
simple as an idea
Open your mind to possibilities
wouldn't you take my hand and let me lead?
would you just trust me?
whoa.....
[scatting]
Would you take my hand and let me lead?
Wouldn't you rather trust me?
ASA-"Fire On The Mountain"
There is fire on the mountain
And nobody seems to be on the run
Oh there is fire on the mountain top
And no one is running
I wake up in the morning
Tell you what I see on my TV screen
I see the blood of an innocent child
And everybody's watching
Now I'm looking out my window
And what do I see
I see an army of a soldier man
Marching across the street
Hey Mr. soldier man
Tomorrow is the day you go to war
But you are fighting for another man's cause
And you don't even know him
What did he say to make you so blind
To your conscience and reason
Could it be love for your country
Or for the gun you use in killing
There is fire on the mountain
And nobody seems to be on the run
Oh there is fire on the mountain top
And no one is running
Hey Mr. Lover man
Can I get a chance to talk to you
Cause you are fooling with a dead man's corpse
And you don't know what you do
So you say you have a lover
And you love her like no other
So you buy her a diamond
That someone has died on
Don't you think there's something wrong with this?
Tell me who's responsible
For what we teach our children?
Is it the internet?
Or the stars on television?
Why o why o
So little Lucy turns sixteen
And like the movie she's been seeing
She has a lover in her daddy
She can't tell nobody
'Til she makes the evening news
There is fire on the mountain
And nobody seems to be on the run
Oh there is fire on the mountain top
And no one is running
One day the river will over flow
And there'll be nowhere for us to go
And we will run, run
Wishing we had put out the fire
ASA -"Jailer"
I'm in chains you're in chains too
I wear uniforms and you wear uniforms too
I'm a prisoner,
You're a prisoner too Mr Jailer
I have fears you have fears too
I will die, you sef go die too
Life is beautiful
Don't you think so too Mr Jailer
[Chorus:]
I'm talking to you jailer
Stop calling me a prisoner
Let he who is without sin -
Be the first to cast the stone Mr Jailer, Mr Jailer Man
You suppress all my strategies
You oppress every part of me
What you don't know,
You're a victim too Mr Jailer
You don't care about my point of view
If I die another will work for you
So you treat me like a modern slave Mr Jailer
[Chorus]
You see, if you're walking in a market place
Don't throw stones
Even if you do, you just might hit
One of your own
Life is not about your policies
All the time
So you better rearrange your
Philosophies and be good to your Fellow man
Jailer
[Chorus x2]
I hear my baby say
I wanna be president
I wan chop money
From my government
What he don't know
What he won't know
What he can't know
Jailer, Jailer oh
Be good oh [x3] somebody
Be good oh [x6]
Jailer, Jailer
ASA- ''Dead Again''
No more your freaking bullshit
No more you talking of lies
No more you put me down
Deceptive blue eyes
Wake up and smell the coffee
Wake up and take a pill
You think I won't go on without you
You really think I will fail
You really are a fool
You sent a man to fool
And I kinda feel sorry for you
What's going around
You talking me down
But I found out that
So it was you
So it was you
You picked up the knife
And then you cut me in two
You stabbed me in the back
And then you twisted it in
Oh oh oh
You left me for dead again
No more you blame Jesus
Why don't you pick a lame
I felt that you were normal
But you are devil insane
I tried to keep it grounded
Cause it's no good for my health
But you really can't save a man for yourself
This so much I can say
Before I turn to breath
All times with you
Cos what's going around
You talking me down
But I found out that
So it was you
So it was you
You picked up the knife
And then you cut me in two
You stabbed me in the back
And then you twisted it in
Oh oh oh
You left me for dead again
So it was you
You picked up the knife
And then you cut me in two
You stabbed me in the back
And then you twisted it in
Oh oh
You left me for dead again
Soldiers foremost
You are no proof
So it was you
Was really you
You picked up the knife
And then you cut me in two
You stabbed me in the back
Then you twisted it in
Oh oh
You left me for dead again
You
So it was you
You picked up the knife
And then you cut me in two
You stabbed me in the back
And then you twisted it in
Oh oh
You left me for dead again
E e....
You left me for dead again
ASA-''Grateful''
Era ile, era ile
won yin baba loke
yanrin okun, yanrin okun
won yin baba loke
eranko ile, eranko igbo
won yin baba loke
awon alaini, awon tanti ni
won yin baba loke
ko segbati nkan b se o
ko to mon pe baba nbe loke
ko segbati nkan b se o
ko to mon looto onbe loke
you don't have to wait to feel the pain
you can start right now
is not too la ee
is not too late to be grateful..
ah ah ah ah ah ah
ah ah ah ah ah ah
hm hm hm hm m m
Era ile, era ile
won yin baba loke
yanrin okun, yanrin okun
won yin baba loke
pe mo wa laye, mo wa laaye
gbogbo n ti moni
ma fi yin o logo
we live this world a better place
ah ah ah ah ah, eh e eh e
ko segbati nkan b se o
ko to mon pe baba nbe loke
ko segbati nkan b se o
ko to mon looto onbe loke
you don't have to wait to feel the pain
you can start right now
is not too la ee
is not too late to be grateful..
ah ah ah ah
wo mi
bi mo se n fegbe yin baba
dan ru dan ru dan
dan ru dan ru du(*2)
is not to la eh eh eh e ye eh eh e e
uh uh uh uh uh e e
ban ru ban ru u u u..
ASA-"Eyo"
Taxis waiting down on the streets so
Hurry up I have to go
Looking round you see all the people
Making faces very cold
Carry me away
Far from the circle that never breaks
Hey hey hey hey hey
Going home, going home
Where this road goes I already know
Where everybody cares for one another
And they take you as their sister
[Chorus:]
Eyo o, eyo o
Eyo o, eyo o
Where the children run around
There's laughing in the crowd
I hope it still remains the same
Eyo o, eyo o
Eyo o, eyo o
And there's something in the song
That makes you feel at home
And that's what's calling out my name
Eyo o o, eyo o o.
How long when they're ready for takeoff
Tomorrow I could fly away
How she's scared and small all the way up
You might have a sunny day
Draining of me on stage
Five years of aging I'm not afraid
Hey hey hey hey hey
Going home, going home
Where this road goes I already know
Where everybody cares for one another
And they take you as their brother
[Chorus]
O o o o o
Would you take me and embrace me as your own o
Would you take me and embrace me as your own o
[Chorus]
#.
[http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/asa/eyo.html]
ASA-"Moving On"
I had to run away and hide
Something happened in the middle
Of the night
I came inside without a sound
Suddenly my life was turning upside down
All that I could feel was pain
And strangers came and took my soul away
Like a deadly hurricane
I know my life would never be the same
[Chorus:]
Where do you go when you're by yourself
Who comes along when you cry for help
I know I can't change the past
But as the river keeps flowing
I'll keep on moving on
I'm hoping for a better life
Praying that nobody's story
Turns out like mine
The only thing I know is fear
Even those with good intentions disappear
All that I could feel was pain
And strangers came and took my soul away
Like a deadly hurricane
I know my life would never be the same
[Chorus x2]
The earth's been done
My spirit is broken
He gave me the reason
He left me with questions
Where do you go when you're by yourself
Who comes along when you cry for help
I know I can't change the past
But as the river (As the river)
I'll keep on going on
[Chorus x2]
I'll keep on moving on
(Where do you go when you're by yourself
Who comes along when you cry for help)
I'll keep on moving on
I'll keep on moving on
#.
[http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/asa/movingon.html]
ASA -"New Year"
No amount of rule books in the world
Can ever know
to teach you how to be yourself
Instead you are just someone else
No amount of talking or just friendly intervention
Can teach you when to up and go
Can tell you when it's overload
When you just can't see the future
When you just can't see the light
You always got to put on a fight
Don't be crazy, it won't break ye
You have to know when it's over
it's over
Alleluia, it's a new year
Total understanding
Took awhile but now I'm learning
I don't need no yesterdays
And I don't need your humble praise
Shed another skin and I feel so better within
I think I'm finally breaking through
Cos everything it feels brand new
And I can finally see the future
I can finally see the light
And you alway have to put up a fight
Don't be crazy,
It won't break ye
You have to know when it's over
it's over
Alleluia it's a new year
You gat to know when its over it's over
Don't be crazy,
it won't break ye
you have to know when it's over
it's over
Alleluia it's a new year
You gat to know when its over it's over
#.
[http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/asa/newyear.html]
ASA-"The One That Never Comes"
Why you want to tell me
All your secret?
Don't you know am a girl
Who never falls?
Why you want pour
Your heart out to me?
When you know I hit the road
Every single time you called
[Chorus:]
Please don't tell me you falling
Cus' I wouldn't know what to do with myself
Please don't tell me you love me
Cus' have be waiting waiting waiting for the one
Who never comes.
I have look for love in all directions
But you haven't been here all alone
So how could it be you?
In my dreams this was so different
But am caught off guard
And I don't know what to do.
[Repeat Chorus]
You are the sunshine in my day
You are the laughter
When we say
All the things we shouldn't say
When the others left you stay
Now that the cards have all been played
Baby let's not walk away
Please don't tell me you love me
Cus' I wont know
What to do with myself
[Repeat Chorus]
#.
[http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/asa/theonethatnevercomes.html]
ASA-"Sometimes I Wonder"
Ahh, Ahh, Ahh, ...
Sometimes I wonder why, the harder men can be soo dark
Then I realized its ok, it’s the way that we’ve been made.
I see the look in your eyes, trying hard to break me down
Nothing I do satisfies you, you rather die than see me above you
Yes, it’s just me and it’s not for you to say, I can’t be any other way
Yes, it’s just you and it’s not for me to say, you can’t be any other way
Spreading lies and dirty rumours, although you are good for
You been having sleepless night, no peace for the wicked mind
Didn’t nobody tell you, no man’s ever made it higher by bringing other people down
You tried and you could lose the ground.
Yes, it’s just me and it’s not for you to say, I can’t be any other way
Yes, it’s just you and it’s not for me to say, you can’t be any other way
They tried to analyze me, they tried to understand me
What would be is what would be
You don’t know my story, you only see the glory
Why can’t talks would stop me now
Yes, it’s just me and it’s not for you to say, I can’t be any other way
Yes, it’s just you and it’s not for me to say, you can’t be any other way.
#.
[http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/asa/sometimesiwonder.html]
Asa - Asa (Asha), full album.
0:00 1. Jailer
4:08 2. 360°
7:40 3. Bibanke
11:55 4. Subway
16:37 5. Fire On The Mountain
21:17 6. Eye Adaba
26:31 7. No One Knows
30:04 8. Awe
35:19 9. Peace
38:28 10. So Beautiful
Suzy Creamcheese