Off-Season Bonus: Ibeyi

Photo by Suleika Mueller

It’s always beautiful when a conversation beautifully exceeds all my expectations. Ibeyi comprises of twin sisters Naomi Diaz and Lisa-Kaindé Diaz, two French women of Cuban descent that are some of the most talented people we’ve ever had on the podcast. Across their 3 albums, they’ve solidified themselves as a force to be reckoned with by blending R&B, soul, and electronica with their Yoruba roots. 

Naturally, music has been a dominant fixture of their lives due to their father, the late Anga Diaz, who taught them so much. Anga is a pioneer of Afro-Cuban jazz and is one of the most prolific musicians in the world for his contributions with acts like Buena Vista Social Club, Omar Sosa, and even his own solo career.

You’d expect that both Naomi and Lisa would look at that legacy with a sense of fear, with that idea of “we have big shoes to fill” you know what I mean? But luckily for us, they realized that the only route to go was to travel their own road; that doing that would be the best way to honor their father, while also paying respects to their ancestors. But what happens when you have a sound that many would consider to be solidified? How do you evolve? How do you take the next steps further? We explore that on today’s episode, with the duo’s newest album, Spell 31, as our guiding star.

Ibeyi will be touring the states throughout March, with the tour kicking off in Los Angeles at the Regent Theater on March 10th. You can find full tour dates and ticket info over here.

After you hear the episode, be sure to check out Ibeyi’s track Sister 2 Sister on the official New Exchange Playlist. Also, be sure to follow Ibeyi on Spotify, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.