Description
akua naru's latest feat is an album entitled, "all about love: new visions", inspired by and an
ode to Black feminist icon bell hooks and her titanic classic text of the same name, in which
hooks examines society and its ideals of love. To honor and take up hooks' understanding
of "love as a practice of freedom", especially in these times, naru's forthcoming offering is a
new vision for her love songs: recorded live by a large band ensemble supported by the
highly decorated classical orchestra, Ensemble Resonanz.
naru reimagines old hits like the people's favorite, "Poetry: How Does It Feel?" and
"Seraphim", alongside deep cuts like "(Love) Right Now", "Joy", and "Runaway". An
exploration of the various iterations of love, not only contained within the romantic, naru also
includes new tracks that among other things celebrate the enduring power of unconditional
love through the tenderness of motherhood.
This album intends to provide a sonic balm to listeners. A necessary emotional-audio
experience for those who understand the fortifying power of love and its urgency, especially
during dark and perilous times.
With the release of her 2011 debut album, "...the journey aflame", akua naru entered the
scene, a titanic force of Liberation politics on beats, a true wordsmith whose music, deeply
nuanced, poetic and wise, centers the experiences of Black women through rhyme, along a
sonic spectrum from Jazz to Soul. Called the "Toni Morrison of Hip Hop" by acclaimed
scholar Dr. Cornel West, akua naru's journey, like her debut album, has been set aflame. To
date, she has released four albums: "...the journey aflame (2011)", "live & aflame sessions
(2012)", "the miner's canary(2015)", and "the blackest joy (2018)."
Her current project, entitled "all about love: new visions", a collaborative LP with her own
band and the renowned string orchestra Ensemble Resonanz, is set for Spring 2024 release.
Naru has worked with Tony Allen, Eric Ben?t, Angelique Kidjo, Tuneyards, Questlove,
Georgia Anne Muldrow, Christian Scott, Rah Digga, Mulatu Astatke, Bernard Purdie, Cody
ChesnuTT, and more. Known for electrifying performances spanning across continents, she
has rocked shows in more than fifty countries across five continents with her 6-piece band.
Her artistry is a testament to the legacy of soul music and the powerful, trailblazing Black
woman artist tradition upon which it builds