ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Ibeyi - Musical duo
Naomi and Lisa-Kaindé Díaz have created a minimalist sound that merges elements of their heritage with their love of modern music.

Why you should listen

The twin sisters of the French-Cuban electronic-soul duo Ibeyi, Naomi and Lisa-Kaindé Díaz, were born in Paris but lived in Havana for the first two years of their lives before moving back to Paris. Their father was the famed Cuban percussionist Anga Díaz, a member of the Buena Vista Social Club. The sisters' music is a bewitching conflation of influences and storylines.
 
While firmly rooted in their Afro-Cuban culture and history, their second album, Ash, features samples of a speech given by former First Lady Michelle Obama and of a song by the Bulgarian choir Les Mystères des Voix Bulgares, the vocal stylings of the Spanish hip-hop artist Mala Rodriguez, a contribution on bass by Meshell Ndegeo-cello and an excerpt from The Diary of Frida Kahlo, among much more. This capacity to absorb the complexity and diversity of the world and transmute it into a vast array of emotions is the musical signature of the twins -- "Ibeyi" means twins in Yoruba, one of the three languages in which they sing (the others being English and French).

More profile about the speaker
Ibeyi | Speaker | TED.com
TEDGlobal>NYC

Ibeyi: "Valé" / "River"

Filmed:
99,341 views

Blending traditional Yoruba culture with sharp modern songwriting, electro-soul duo (and twin sisters) Ibeyi play a transportive set of two songs: "Valé" and "River."
- Musical duo
Naomi and Lisa-Kaindé Díaz have created a minimalist sound that merges elements of their heritage with their love of modern music. Full bio

Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.

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(Music)
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(Singing) Naomi Diaz:
You were born under a star.
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In the sky, she lives now.
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Protecting you,
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night after night.
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(Singing) Lisa-Kaindé Díaz:
Listen to the lullaby
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every time life seems to hurt.
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So close your eyes,
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just close your eyes.
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Our voices will hug you,
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music be our arms.
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The star will shine
and enlighten your night.
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You are loved,
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little girl, you are.
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I bet you'll be stronger
when the day is back.
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(Singing) Ibeyi: Waye waye lo mio,
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waye kalamefa.
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Waye waye lo mio,
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waye kalamefa.
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Waya kalamefa,
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aremu,
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waya kalamefao.
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(Singing) ND: If one day you want to cry,
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look at the star,
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I know she's proud
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of who you've been
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and who you are.
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(Singing) LKD: Then run
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into laughing arms
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and shine
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as bright as you can.
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You've been loved --
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(Singing) ND: You still are.
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(Singing) LKD: Our voices will hug you,
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music be our arms.
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The star will shine
and enlighten your night.
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You are loved,
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little girl, you are.
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I bet you'll be stronger
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when the day is back.
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(Singing) Ibeyi: Waye waye lo mio,
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waye kalamefa.
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Waye waye lo mio,
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waye kalamefa.
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Waye kalamefa,
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aremu,
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waye kalamefao.
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Waye waye lo mio,
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waye kalamefa.
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(A cappella) Waye waye lo mio,
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waye kalamefa.
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Waye kalamefa,
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aremu,
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waye kalamefao.
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(Applause)
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LKD: OK, so for the next song,
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we need you.
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Do you want to sing?
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(Audience cheers)
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LKD: Oh, come on. Do you want to sing?
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(Audience cheers)
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04:00
(Drumbeat)
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LKD: It's really simple.
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It's just --
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if we say, "Come to your river,"
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you say, "wash my soul."
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(Singing) Ibeyi: Come to your river,
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wash my soul.
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Come to your river. Sing: "wash my soul."
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Come to your river --
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(Audience) Wash my soul.
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Ibeyi: When we say,
"come to your river," you say?
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(Audience) Wash my --
Ibeyi: No, louder.
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Come to your river --
(Audience) Wash my soul.
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Ibeyi: Come to your river --
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(Audience) Wash my soul.
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Ibeyi: Sing it! Come to your river --
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(Audience) Wash my soul.
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(Music)
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Ibeyi: Go, go, go, go --
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Come to your river --
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(Audience) Wash my soul.
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Ibeyi: I will come to your river --
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(Audience) Wash my soul.
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Ibeyi: I will come to your river,
wash my soul again.
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Come to your river --
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(Audience) Wash my soul.
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Ibeyi: I will come to your river --
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(Audience) Wash my soul.
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Ibeyi: I will come to your river,
wash my soul again.
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05:07
Carry away my dead leaves.
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Let me baptize my soul
with the help of your waters.
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Sink my pains and complains,
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let the river take them,
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river drown them.
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My ego and my blame --
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let me baptize my soul
with the help of your waters.
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Those old me's, so ashamed,
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let the river take them,
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river drown them.
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Hey --
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(Music)
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Ibeyi: Go, go, go, go --
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Come to your river --
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(Audience) Wash my soul.
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Ibeyi: I will come to your river --
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(Audience) Wash my soul.
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Ibeyi: I will come to your river,
wash my soul again.
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Come to your river --
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(Audience) Wash my soul.
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Ibeyi: I will come to your river --
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06:00
(Audience) Wash my soul.
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Ibeyi: I will come to your river,
wash my soul again.
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06:06
Go, go, go, go --
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Carry away my dead leaves.
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Let me baptize my soul
with the help of your waters.
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Sink my pains and complains,
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let the river take them, river drown them.
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06:20
My ego and my blame,
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let me baptize my soul
with the help of your waters.
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Those old me's,
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so ashamed,
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let the river take them,
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river drown them.
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Come to your river --
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ND: Hey, louder.
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Ibeyi: Come to your river --
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LKD: Sing out.
(Audience) Wash my soul.
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Ibeyi: I will come to your river,
wash my soul again.
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Go, go, go, go --
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Ibeyi: Come to your river --
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(Audience) Wash my soul.
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Ibeyi: I will come to your river --
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(Audience) Wash my soul.
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Ibeyi: I will come to your river,
wash my soul again.
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Go, go, go, go --
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(A cappella) Wemile Oshun,
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Oshun dede alawede.
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Wemile Oshun,
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moolowo beleru yalode moyewede.
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Wemile Oshun,
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Oshun dede alawede.
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Wemile Oshun,
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moolowo beleru yalode moyewede.
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(Applause)
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▲Back to top

ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Ibeyi - Musical duo
Naomi and Lisa-Kaindé Díaz have created a minimalist sound that merges elements of their heritage with their love of modern music.

Why you should listen

The twin sisters of the French-Cuban electronic-soul duo Ibeyi, Naomi and Lisa-Kaindé Díaz, were born in Paris but lived in Havana for the first two years of their lives before moving back to Paris. Their father was the famed Cuban percussionist Anga Díaz, a member of the Buena Vista Social Club. The sisters' music is a bewitching conflation of influences and storylines.
 
While firmly rooted in their Afro-Cuban culture and history, their second album, Ash, features samples of a speech given by former First Lady Michelle Obama and of a song by the Bulgarian choir Les Mystères des Voix Bulgares, the vocal stylings of the Spanish hip-hop artist Mala Rodriguez, a contribution on bass by Meshell Ndegeo-cello and an excerpt from The Diary of Frida Kahlo, among much more. This capacity to absorb the complexity and diversity of the world and transmute it into a vast array of emotions is the musical signature of the twins -- "Ibeyi" means twins in Yoruba, one of the three languages in which they sing (the others being English and French).

More profile about the speaker
Ibeyi | Speaker | TED.com