On Tuesday (June 25), Femi Kuti will release his sixth full-length, No Place for My Dream, on Wrasse Records. After recording his last LP in Nigeria (2010's tribute to his homeland, titled Africa for Africa), Femi returned to France to work with his longtime producer, Sodi, resulting in an album that blends his early flirtations with hip-hop and funk with his recent forays into more traditional fare.
"The difference, I think is, I'm singing better," Kuti says of the new album in an Exclaim! interview. "I'm more experienced in delivering my music, this comes from age of majority, I believe."
Although the album has already been described by some as his most melodic and accessible work to date, Femi calls the album a "cry for urgency": "I feel more people are poorer, not just in Africa, being the focal point of discussion, but Europe and America too."
Explaining the origin of the album's title, Kuti refers to the cynical worldview held by people he's met. He's talking, he says, "about how people discourage me, saying there's 'no place for my dream,' saying the world will always face problems and wars."
And with the wildly successful Fela!, the Broadway musical based on the life of his father, still running strong, Femi seems as proud as ever of his dad's growing legacy.
"He was my foundation, and he's still relevant in my life. There's really no division, I'm part of the story but trying to tell the story from his time into my time."
Kuti will be touring Europe and North America this summer with his band, the Positive Force, in support of No Place for My Dream, including stops in Toronto, Ottawa and Quebec City. Find the touring schedule below.
Tour dates:
6/26 Minneapolis, MN – Cedar Center
6/28 Milwaukee, WI – Summerfest
6/30 Rothbury, MI – Electric Forest
7/3 Toronto, ON – Opera House
7/4 Ottawa, ON – RBC Bluesfest
7/6 Quebec City, QC – Festival d'été de Québec
"The difference, I think is, I'm singing better," Kuti says of the new album in an Exclaim! interview. "I'm more experienced in delivering my music, this comes from age of majority, I believe."
Although the album has already been described by some as his most melodic and accessible work to date, Femi calls the album a "cry for urgency": "I feel more people are poorer, not just in Africa, being the focal point of discussion, but Europe and America too."
Explaining the origin of the album's title, Kuti refers to the cynical worldview held by people he's met. He's talking, he says, "about how people discourage me, saying there's 'no place for my dream,' saying the world will always face problems and wars."
And with the wildly successful Fela!, the Broadway musical based on the life of his father, still running strong, Femi seems as proud as ever of his dad's growing legacy.
"He was my foundation, and he's still relevant in my life. There's really no division, I'm part of the story but trying to tell the story from his time into my time."
Kuti will be touring Europe and North America this summer with his band, the Positive Force, in support of No Place for My Dream, including stops in Toronto, Ottawa and Quebec City. Find the touring schedule below.
Tour dates:
6/26 Minneapolis, MN – Cedar Center
6/28 Milwaukee, WI – Summerfest
6/30 Rothbury, MI – Electric Forest
7/3 Toronto, ON – Opera House
7/4 Ottawa, ON – RBC Bluesfest
7/6 Quebec City, QC – Festival d'été de Québec
