Awa Ly

Known for her soulful vocals and her sultry blend of jazz, folk, and African music, Awa Ly (January 4, 1977) is a French singer-songwriter and actress. Born and raised in Paris to Senegalese partens, Ly grew up in a music-loving household and started singing in school. After participating in a handful of choirs during the late 90s, she relocated to Rome in 2002 to pursue an acting career. In 2009, she released Modulated, her studio debut, to great critical acclaim. Two years later, she had her first big show at Bagneux’s Maison de la musique et de la danse and delivered an EP sung entirely in Italian under the name Parole Prestate. Recorded between Berlin, Paris, and Rome with bassist Greg Cohen behind the console, her eponymous EP came out in 2014 via a crowdfunding campaign and paved the way for Five and a Feather, her second full-length, released two years later. Produced by Rivière Noire’s Jean Lamoot and Pascal Danae, her sophomore effort featured guest spots by Ballaké Sissoko, Guo Gan, and Faada Freddy, and spawned a subsequent tour throughout France in 2017. Preceded by the singles “Mesmerising” and “Close Your Eyes,” a homage to Sudanese anti-government protester Alaa Salah, third album Safe and Sound saw the light in 2020 and was hailed by critics as her most mature offering.

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