What are you listening to?

I started listening to Matisyahu, in particular a lot of his old school songs and absolutely love it. I first heard about him years ago and thought it was a gimmick because he's a Hasidic Jew with the beard, kippah and all singing reggae music. Unusual combination. But very talented and great lyrics.

 
Here's another classic Peter Gabriel song, Biko, about the anti-apartheid campaigner of the name. I recall watching the movie Cry Freedom back in the early 90's, it's a very good film. Gabriel in interviews has stated his politics many times, and I agree with his views in the main. He really comes across as a principled man of conscience, and his music is bloody great. What with the other obvious case of apartheid in our world, I kinda get a feeling of "Viva Palestina" about this one, as a fresh listener. The song will live on in its direct symbolism.

 
Found this singer by chance and she’s quite mesmerizing!

Her name is Diana Ankudinova Diana Ankudinova - Wikipedia

“…born May 31, 2003)] is a Russian singer. Much of her initial fame resulted from her winning two consecutive seasons of You Are Super! a talent competition shows for disadvantaged children on the Russian NTV network. Diana Ankudinova's performances were posted on the NTV web site and the NTV YouTube channel, where they soon gained hundreds of millions of views around the world. Diana Ankudinova sings mostly in Russian, English and French. She has also sung in other languages including Spanish, German and Arabic.”

“Diana Ankudinova was born on May 31, 2003, in the far eastern Primorsky Territory of Russia in an area north of the city of Vladivostok. Diana's biological mother had several pregnancies, but her other pregnancies were terminated before Diana was born.

At the age of 3, Diana was left at a bus stop in the winter with a broken collarbone. Diana's biological aunt rescued Diana from the street, but was unable to care for the traumatized child. Diana's aunt made a statement about the abuse of Diana to the local prosecutor, and it was agreed that the young Diana should be turned over to the care of the Ussuriysk orphanage, which provided for the care of abandoned young children in the general area.

Children from the orphanage were periodically sent to a sanatorium to help them regain and maintain their physical and mental health. A massage therapist, Irina Ponik, who worked at the sanatorium developed a special affection for Diana. The daughter of Irina Ponik, who assisted her mother with the work at the sanatorium, was the one who first began to insist that her mother adopt Diana.

In 2008, Irina Ponik filed the necessary paperwork to assume formal legal guardianship of Diana Ankudinova with the territorial department of guardianship and trusteeship in the city of Ussuriysk. Shortly thereafter, the family moved to the nearby city of Arsenyev for about four years. In 2012, the family moved far away to the city of Tolyatti in the Samara Oblast of southwestern Russia. The move to Tolyatti was mostly due to Diana's fears that her biological mother might try to find and abuse Diana or even attempt to regain custody of Diana. These fears were so intense that they had been significantly affecting young Diana's mental health. “

Here are some of her performances on “You are Super”. 14/15 years old

Wicked Games:

Rechenka:

Derniere Danse:

And here is a recent performance 17/18,

 
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Great Big Sea - "Ordinary Day"


I've got a smile on my face, I've got four walls around me
The sun in the sky, the water surrounds me
I'll win now but sometimes I'll lose
I've been battered, but I'll never bruise, it's not so bad

[Chorus:]
And I say way-hey-hey, it's just an ordinary day
and it's all your state of mind
At the end of the day, you've just got to say,
it's all right.

Janie sings on the corner, what keeps her from dying?
Let them say what they want, she won't stop trying
She might stumble, if they push her 'round
She might fall, but she'll never lie down

[Chorus]

In this beautiful life, but there's always some sorrow
It's a double-edged knife, but there's always tomorrow
It's up to you now if you sink or swim,
Keep the faith and your ship will come in.
It's not so bad

And I say way-hey-hey, it's just an ordinary day
And it's all your state of mind
At the end of the day, you've just got to say
I say way-hey-hey, it's just an ordinary day
And it's all your state of mind
At the end of the day, you've just got to say
it's alright

'Cause it's alright, it's alright
'Cause I've got a smile on my face and I've got four walls around me.
 
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