Now a resident in Paris, music has long been a part of his life, having grown up in the Kabylie region east of Algiers with a mother who sang traditional folk music. Akli D’s musical career has taken him from a street performer, to a signed recording artist, via the study and influence of many musical forms — Kabylie folk, North African Chaâbi, Senegalese M’balax along with blues, rock, reggae and jazz.

Following the recent release of his second album Ma Yela, Akli D speaks here about his new album, his musical life, and his forthcoming visit to London as part of the London Jazz Festival

Visit our new video sharing site for Fly and watch Akli D’s video ‘C’est Facile’

Considering your music fuses/incorporates many styles how would you like it to be defined?
I have spoken three different languages since I was a child. I sing in different styles and I have even done a Hindi song — which I learned phonetically watching musical comedies. As a human, I am ‘métisse’ (mixed) thanks to my grandmother who was half white and half black. Without forgetting my musical adventure which began, when I was a teenager, in the Metro and squares of Paris, with meetings with musicians from all corners of the world.

That’s also where I learned to sing other, more modern music, like rock, reggae, blues…

Growing up with a musician Mother, what are your memories of that period of your life and how has it influenced you today?
I grew up with a mother who, when she wasn’t ill, sang spiritual songs with metaphors, in a region of the world where women are subdued. What influenced me was her rebellious and pacifist side.

How do you feel Ma Yela differs from your debut album, ‘Anefas Trankil’?
Ma Yela is like a continuation or evolution of the Anefas Trankil album and I hope that the next ones will be too because for me an album is like a novel, each time it’s a different story.

What was it like working with Manu Chao? And what do you feel he brought to your album?
Manu Chao, for me it didn’t feel like work because our musical and human adventure started well before Ma Yela. He brought his rock ‘n’ roll and Western musical experience to my album.

The inspiration comes from a musical riff, or a word, or an image, that is what sparks the emotion and inspiration.

Lyrically Ma Yela addresses powerful social/political subjects, do you feel this is integral to your music or are they specific issues you wish to draw attention to?
I didn’t write the songs on the second album with my eyes shut but, quite the opposite, by opening them to what is going on in the world. I was inspired to write ‘Good Morning Tchetchnia’ by a group of Chechen children who were touring the world to highlight the nightmare their parents were living through in their country. If I also sing ‘Salut Salam Shalom’ it is because I live in a suburb called Belleville where lots of different communities live together without racist incidents, in fact it is the most artistically lively area in the whole of Paris.

What is next for you? Do you have the plans for another release?
For now, I have written or I am writing the songs for my next album without worrying about the musical production because I’m still in an exciting phase with Ma Yela.

Having performed at this years WOMAD festival along with such artists as Gotam Project, Konono No.1, Femi Kuti and Manu Chao, how was that experience?
The first exciting thing was playing for the first time in front of an English audience in the land of the Beatles, Peter Gabriel… [Being part of the London Jazz Festival] is an honour for me because jazz is a style that allowed the first musical fusion. I really looing forward to returning to the UK soon especially as the album Ma Yela will be released shortly. For the audience, I hope there will be a warm atmosphere.

Akli D plays Pizza on The Park at the London Jazz Festival, Tuesday 14th November, 9pm (Box office: 020 7235 5273)

Ma Yela was released on October 16th on Because.

Links:
www.pizzaonthepark.co.uk
www.because.tv/artistes/akli-d./index.php
www.aklid.com