AfricaIs aCountry

The music of Madagascar’s young people

Africa Is a Country Podcast
African Five-a-Side Podcast

The music of Madagascar’s young people

By
Tom Devriendt

Celebrate a country's independence day by featuring some of the music of its young people. This is Madagascar's turn today, June 26th.

People leaving Antananarivo, Madagascar during the COVID-19 pandemic. Image credit Henitsoa Rafalia for the World Bank via Flickr CC.

Today is the 51st anniversary of Malagasi independence. Things could have been better for its citizens. What with being governed by a former radio DJ along with the country’s army and in the background threats that Western governments and aid agencies will withdraw financial support. Anyway, we’re celebrating. For the sake of the Malagasy people. This is also the start of a new regular gig where we’ll celebrate a country’s independence day by featuring some of the music of its young people.

We had a harder time coming up with the short list below (we had an easy time with South Africa’s Youth Day (June 16th) and Mozambique Independence Day, but we found plenty of great stuff available. So here we go. (If we missed anything, let us know.)

Oladad’s “Ketamanga.”

“Tsy fatar’elah” by K.F.R. featuring KIM:

Aora’s “In mo ze zay.”

“Zaza dago” by Suprem.

Volkany Sound’s “Aminay any.”

Finally, Raboussa’s  “Tonga ‘ndray.”

Further Reading

The people want to breathe

In Tunisia’s coastal city of Gabès, residents live in the shadow of the phosphate industry. As pollution deepens and repression returns, a new generation revives the struggle for life itself.

After Paul Biya

Cameroon’s president has ruled for over four decades by silence and survival. Now, with dynastic succession looming and no clear exit strategy, the country teeters between inertia and implosion.

Leapfrogging literacy?

In outsourcing the act of writing to machines trained on Western language and thought, we risk reinforcing the very hierarchies that decolonization sought to undo.