Mdou Moctar, a Tamasheq singer from Niger, is a huge deal in his country’s rock scene. He’s also gotten the attention of fans from all over the world, building anticipation for his next film, Victime Afrique. “Taliat,” a guitar-driven psychedelic rocker, is the new sample of the album.
Moctar clarified the song’s meaning by saying, “’Taliat’ means woman. In our community, women are queens, they have a lot of power, that why I use the term taliat to talk about them. A woman in the Tuareg community has to be protected, but she also has to be treated as equal.”
Moctar also discussed his friendship with his country’s younger musicians, stating, “I know what it’s like to have been in that position, to not have the support of your family, or the money for guitars or strings: it’s really hard. I have a lot of support from the younger generation, because I help them out a lot. When I get back from tour, I give them gear that I bought while I was away so they can go out and form their own bands.”
The Afrique Victime artwork and tracklist, as well as Mdou Moctar’s upcoming tour dates, can be found below.
Matador Records
1. “Chismiten”
2. “Taliat”
3. “Ya Habibti”
4. “Tala Tannam”
5. “Untitled”
6. “Asdikte Akal”
7. “Layla”
8. “Afrique Victime”
9. “Bismilahi Atagah”
09/03 — Manchester, TN @ Bonnaroo
09/05 — Durham, NC @ Motorco Music Hall
09/07 — Baltimore, MD @ Ottobar
09/08 — Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda’s
09/10 — Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
09/11 — Holyoke, MA @ Gateway City Arts
09/12 — Boston, MA @ The Sinclair
09/14 — Pittsburgh, PA @ Thunderbird Café & Music Hall
09/15 — Columbus, OH @ Ace of Cups
09/17 — Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall
09/18 — Minneapolis, MN @ Cedar Cultural Center
09/20 — Denver, CO @ Globe Hall
09/21 — Denver, CO @ Globe Hall
09/22 — Salt Lake City, UT @ Urban Lounge
09/23 — Boise, ID @ Treefort Music Festival
09/24 — Seattle, WA @ The Crocodile
09/25 — Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios
09/26 — Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios
09/28 — San Francisco, CA @ The Chapel
09/29 — Oakland, CA @ Starline
10/01 — Pioneertown, CA @ Desert Daze Pre-Party
10/02 — Los Angeles, CA @ Lodge Room
