Suzan Kerunen is known as the pearl of Uganda. The celebrated singer is a polyglot who known for using her command of language to share her musical journey with listeners all over the world. Starting her career with her two sisters under the moniker Soul Of Africa, Kerunen got started in music at an early age, before debuting as a solo artist in 2006 with her thrilling album, ‘Nimefika.’

Since then, the singer has soared to higher level as she hits new rings in her decade-long career, including sharing the stage with contemporary music leaders such as the late Miriam Makeba, ASA, and Yvonne Chaka Chaka. Today, Uganda’s Suzan Kerunen releases her 5th studio album titled ‘From Ashes We Rise,’ which finds her celebrating Africa while she raconteurs tales of our battles, triumphs and victories to come.

 

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Releasing “Ginya” and “Earthly Speaking” as the album’s promotional singles, Suzan was inspired by the seismic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic which altered our lives in varying degrees. Her album metaphorically compares African to the Phoenix who manages to shed its old self and rises from its ashes despite facing harsh conditions. The 14-track set concedes Suzan’s position as not only an African icon but a global phenomenon as she meticulously frames the identity of an African through a plethora of languages including Alur, English, Swahili and French.

Using a series of features from across Africa including Burundi’s Bernice the Bell, Uganda’s Kinobe Herbert and Mseto Nation, and South Sudan’s WD Alzain-South Sudan, she addresses continental issues such as modern-day slave trade, Black skin stigmatisation, human trafficking, war, governance and climate change issues that keep sucking the life and blood out of Africa by global and continental perpetrators.

‘From Ashes We Rise,’ is carefully curated to bring out the diversity of art through spoken word, music, chants, riddles and proverbs with brilliantly varied percussion instruments which are Tamur (talking drums), Akogo (thumb piano), and Ndigidi (tube fiddle). The album sees Susan indirectly encourage and develop a breed of artists who will create art not just for self-sustenance but rather look at art as a reproductive tool for humanity. From “Earthly Speaking” which is a plea to save the Earth from global warming to “Remnants” which talks of hope for a new generation, the album is an extensible project juggling emotion, cognition and melody.

While the project ushers unspoken conversations in the African community, Suzan expresses the desire to break cultural boundaries used to keep people divided. Instead, she calls on humanity and empathy not only to those around us but to the climate itself.

Stream ‘From Ashes We Rise’ below.

Featured image credits/Instagram

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