Physical Address
Indirizzo: Via Mario Greco 60, Buttigliera Alta, 10090, Torino, Italy
The second evening of the 24th European Music Festival, which took place the day before last evening at the Algerian National Theater Mahieddine Bachtarzi (TNA), was a new musical journey rich in discoveries and emotions.
The audience was transported through the mixed sounds of the Swedish duo and couple Maher and Soussou Cissoko and the Italian artist Tommy Kuti.
The Swedish duo Maher and Soussou Cissoko opened the evening with a magnificent performance. Maher on guitar and vocals, and Soussou on kora, offered a unique blend of Swedish and Mandinka music. Their melancholic melodies and wild rhythms won over the audience from the first notes.
The second part of the evening was hosted by Tommy Kuti, a Nigerian-born singer based in Italy, whose music fuses hip-hop with African influences. He set the stage alight with his boundless energy and committed lyrics. He captivated the audience with powerful songs and messages of hope and solidarity.
Singer, composer and multi-instrumentalist, Tommy Kuti offered the public a colorful show. He performed songs from his afrobeat repertoire, mixing Nigerian, Italian and Caribbean influences. His powerful voice and charismatic stage presence literally captivated the audience.
Speaking on the sidelines of the concert, Tommy Kuti said: “The audience was incredible. I have never had so much fun doing a concert like this.” He was particularly impressed by the energy and passion of the Algerian spectators. “In Italy, people don’t have fun like that, they don’t dance like that. They don’t have the calm African spirit,” he explained.
While Tommy acknowledges that some regions of southern Italy, such as Naples and Salento, have a musical culture closer to that of Africa, he believes that the north of the country is very different. “If we go south, yes we will find Naples and Salento for example, but it is for the north where there are other regions, it is not the same rhythm.”
He felt an immediate connection with the Algerian public. “I almost said that here because I’ve known him since today and it seems like I’ve known him forever,” he said. “It’s just wonderful, even now I get emotional seeing how people appreciated me and embraced me.”
Tommy Kuti and DJ Tommy work closely together to create their Afro-Arab music. “We study the performative part the most,” Tommy explained. “As for the composition of the songs, we collaborate with a lot of Italian and non-Afro-descendant producers, and we have a great team with whom we bring our music to the forefront,” he added.
Regarding the issue of African immigrants in Italy, he would say that “the Italian media never talk about children born in Italy like me. They never talk about the story of people like me, of our parents who come here to work,” he confided.
Tommy hopes that his success and his music will contribute to making Italy more inclusive for Afro-Italians. “We don’t talk about normality in Italy. The invisible Afro-Italians are like me, people who work, who have a whole journey. What causes problems are those who arrive by boat, it’s illegal immigration. They cause problems so they are frowned upon.”
For his part, Maher Cissoko expressed his impressions of this evening and of their trip to Algeria. “The trip was long, we had almost three days of travel, but we missed a flight. Despite this, the spectators appreciated our performance. Music cannot be forced, if people like it, they feel it directly.”
He also shared anecdotes about their meeting and the birth of their musical duo. “Soussou met my older brother, Solo, who also plays the kora. She wanted to learn this instrument and came to Senegal for that. We met there and started playing together.”
Regarding their musical style, Maher added that “we compose together, often at home. The inspiration comes naturally. Sometimes Soussou starts playing the guitar, and I join her with the accordion. This is how we mix our African and Swedish influences.”
Maher also stressed the importance of love and understanding in their collaboration. “Making music together as a couple is rare and precious. It’s always love and understanding that comes first,” he said.
The 24th European Music Festival continues until July 3 at the TNA. On the program: concerts of traditional and contemporary music from Algeria, Europe and other countries of the world, instrumental and singing discovery workshops, meetings with artists and music professionals, exhibitions and film screenings.