“Dounya” is a new song by Paris-based Colombian-Dutch artist, composer and producer El Speaker. The record features Makhou (Senegal), Pao Barreto (Colombia) and Mots Linary (France) and merges Senegalese and Afro-Colombian cultures; ‘Dounya’ means life among the Wolof peoples of Senegal and West Africa.
Juxtaposing traditional dance music with its spiritual essence, the track combines percussion-driven rhythms, Afro melodies, eerie flutes and electronic beats to create a lively tune. And so, not only is the song multicultural, it also has a cross-generational feel.
“Dounya” was inspired by a 2019 trip that El Speaker took to Cuba and Colombia to reconnect with his Latin heritage. After two months on the road and a number of interesting collaborations later, the producer returned to France with a full album.