Ayo - Joyful
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CD Details
Artist: AyoEdition: Music CD
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language)
CD Release Date: 2007-11-20
Music Label: Interscope
Product features:
- AYO JOYFUL
- Down on My Knees
- Without You
- Letter by Letter
- How Many Times?
- And It's Supposed to Be Love
- Watching You
- Only You
- Help Is Coming
- These Days
- Life Is Real
- What Is Love?
- Neva Been
Music reviews of Joyful
Music Review: A brilliant example of modern soul with a twist of world music.
Rating: 4 Stars
Her name means Joy in Yoruba, and therefore it seems apt that Ayo's debut album is a joy to listen to. Her music has cross-cultural appeal, possibly due to the melting-pot of influences in her background. The German singer has a Nigerian father and a Romanian Gypsy mother, giving her the stunning looks which match her voice.
She ended up in foster homes when her parents divorced; once she was even kidnapped by her father.
Which is perhaps why her music is so calm and smooth - after that kind of upbringing you're unlikely to want to rock hard.
This album was recorded in New York and produced by Jay Newland (who produced Norah Jones), and it tells stories of gypsy life and heart break.
After gaining huge success in France and having already won over the hearts and charts of Europe (Top Twenty in Germany; Platinum in France, big sales in U.K.) Ayo is now set to take over the US.
Her roots define her and threads of soul, folk, afro beat and reggae weave through her songs.It is no wonder she calls herself an African Gypsy.
Ayo is an artist with a magnetic character and a stunning vocal, which has echoes of both Lauryn Hill and Tracy Chapman in it.
She's been compared also to Sade and Corinne Bailey Rae, although she probably needs to find a few more tunes and hooks to rise above the creamy surface. Still, there's enough here (including the delicate power of her voice) to suggest Ayo could be that rare thing - a German R&B star.
Musically she covers everything from African folk, reggae and of course oodles of soul.
The record draws on influences as diverse as Pink Floyd, Fela Kuti and Prince Suni Ade all favourites of her occasionally DJing father - and mixes words in Pidgin, the street language of Lagos, with the seductive sound of the B3 organ and slide guitar.
Soulful tracks such as debut single "Down on My Knees" suggest that she shouldn't have too much trouble finding fans.
Her forte is also the glistening folk-soul of the beautiful "Without You".
Give this album a couple of listenings and you too may be bowing to Ayo.
A wonderful talent and a brilliant example of modern soul with a twist of world music.
Born & Raised
M'Bem di Fora
Description of Joyful
AYO broke through in Europe with the hit single "Down On My Knees," and Platinum album `Joyful,' produced by Jay Newland (Norah Jones).Her sound is often compared to SADE, Stevie Wonder, Joni Mitchell and Carole King!
PBS PLEDGE WEEK SPECIAL: Ayo is confirmed to perform in DECEMBER 07's "Pledge Week" on PBS - first run airs 12/1 to 12/9. The show taped in Monte Carlo. "Live from Monte-Carlo" will be presented on U.S. Public Television as both a one hour special and as a 90-minute fundraising special nation-wide. Like The Three Tenors, Andrea Bocelli, Sara Brightman, Michael Bubble, Josh Groban and many others; AYO will be introduced to the American market on television through more than 300 PBS affiliates covering 99% of total U.S. households.
SHE HAS CURRENTLY SOLD OVER 550,000 CD'S OF HER DEBUT IN EUROPE!
Ayo (her name means "joy" in Nigerian Yoruba) has been on a careening music biz fast track ever since 2006, when her debut release, Joyful, achieved platinum sales in France and several other European countries. The lovely singer-composer-guitarist-pianist was born in Germany to a Nigerian father and a Romanian Roma (Gypsy) mother and, with her husband and son, now divides her time between Paris and New York. Joyful was produced by Grammy award-winner Jay Newland and recorded in New York City in five days flat, under studio-live conditions. This created a relaxed yet urgently charged ambience that underpins the ebb and flow of all 12 tracks. Musically, the tunes incorporate diverse quotes from a polyglot life, such as accordion-laced French bal musette, slouchy Afro-Euro reggae, quietly down-and-dirty R & B-influenced organ riffs, Beatles-eque piano chords, plus subtle strings and over all, a moodily suave acoustic guitar. Ayo's girlishly light but spot-on vocals are sung primarily in English with occasional touches of Nigerian pigeon. She speaks of sexual passion hopeless and fulfilled, family, friendships, and philosophical observations both grim and optimistic; these are young songs from an old soul. The massive success of the present album has led to a television special, Ayo Live in Monte Carlo, which will be aired in the USA on PBS. During it, the young chanteuse performs tunes from Joyful and hobnobs with Princess Stephanie of Monaco, with whom she shares a commitment to children's causes. --Christina Roden
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