Original Story Published by: Lucy Ilado for Music in Africa
Photo Source: ©Music in Africa
(Above) Nyaruach and Emmanuel Jal.
The two South Sudanese artists have been nominated in the World Music Album of the Year category for their joint 2018 album Naath (Humans).
According to the awards' website, the nominations reflect a diverse blend of established and emerging artists across the music industry in Canada. Jal has been based in Canada since 2013 and receives the nomination alongside his countrywoman who has been living at the Kakuma Refugee Camp in Kenya.
Jal told Music In Africa that he was both excited and thankful for the recognition.
“We were just doing a simple album to awaken and keep our culture alive, for many of us who are refugees all over the world,” he said.
“This is the second time I am being nominated at the Junos. As for this album, it received a lot of love across the globe and went on to top the charts on different platforms. It’s an amazing feeling when your work is recognized in a very competitive industry.”
Jal says many of Naath's themes were inspired by his life as a refugee and meant to encourage those in refugee camps to be optimistic about life.
“Nyaruach, who is my sister, is a refugee at Kakuma Refugee Camp in Kenya. I am a refugee in Canada. Naath carries mixed emotions but mostly a lot of flashbacks of my childhood experiences as an ex-child soldier.”
To read the full article, visit Music in Africa.
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