The fifteenth edition of the music column calls for something special, a celebration of sorts. Unfortunately, it is also midterms week, and I am only human (after all), so I did not have time to cook anything super special. Still, this week’s musical dish is extra flavorful because it is the international edition of the music column. Keep reading to discover top picks from locations even Falcon dirhams might not cover the tickets to fly to.

Yallah Beibe by MC Yallah Quite a few new albums were released last Friday, Apr. 14, but perhaps the most interesting of all is this energetic rap album by Ugandan rapper MC Yallah. With beats that take the best of drill, RnB and African traditional music; girlboss rap game that can reach Queen Nicki’s level; and performance energy that can put any famous rapper to shame, she has got it all right to the “T”. That MC Yallah is underappreciated is an understatement. She has been revolutionizing the genre since 1999, but has yet to make her big international hit. Spin Yallah Beibe a few times on Spotify and let’s all help her achieve that.

In memory of Ryuichi Sakamoto (Jan. 17, 1952 – Mar. 28, 2023).

Recently we lost one of the brightest contemporary composers, Ryuichi Sakamoto. Even if the name does not ring a bell to many people, his compositions definitely do. He is the one who wrote the soundtrack for many classic films, including The Lost Emperor and Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence, for both of which he received several film score awards. His style is quite unique and encapsulates not only a trend within the genre of film classical music, but also a shift in his home country, Japan. Mixing elements from Western classical music, contemporary jazz and traditional Japanese music, Sakamoto’s music creates a picture of Japan as a country where tradition and modernity merge seamlessly. His pieces are quite emotional and impactful, which makes them so much more than just a film soundtrack. They could easily be considered modern classics and will definitely remain timeless. Sakamoto leaves a legacy of compositions, written and performed with such attention to detail and storytelling, that they come closer to perfection than most contemporary classical pieces.

Mila Robert

It is not exactly set in stone or even written down on paper, but Bulgarian pop diva Mila Robert has teased us with a new song, alluding to a potential new EP, to be released sometime this year. Look out for this absolute hit-machine from the Balkans. Hopefully, she will soon take the whole globe by storm.