With Gemini season in full swing, it’s only fitting that we headed over to the Royale to catch Ibeyi, a dynamic duo comprised of twin sisters Lisa-Kaindé Diaz and Naomi Diaz. Based in Paris, the sisters proudly represent their roots in Yoruba (the word “Ibeyi” is Yoruba for “twin, FYI), Afro-Cuban, French, and Venezuelan cultures. These lineages strongly inform the worldly focus of their songs and give them a musical legacy to live up to: their mother and manager, Maya Dagnino, was a singer herself, and their father, Anga Díaz, was a Grammy-winning Latin percussionist. Quite a legacy, indeed.
For the past few years, they’ve been steadily building a repertoire of songs and growing their fanbase; in addition to this tour, they’re slated to perform at a number of notable festivals this summer, including the just-completed Bonnaroo and next month’s Pitchfork Festival in Chicago. While their sound is rich and full of instrumentation, you’d be amazed by the fact it’s just the two of them onstage. It’s clear to see that sort of psychic connection that twins have when you watch Ibeyi, though they’ve put in efforts to be independent people and performers. Lisa-Kaindé has an incredible vocal range and excellent keyboard skills; Naomi, on the other hand, found her gift in percussion (and according to her sister, is a much better twerker). The pair were also decked out in matching red coveralls, and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t order a pair for myself the day after the show (Ibeyi – let me join? I’m a great hypeman!).
Before Ibeyi took stage, opener Sudan Archives got the show started, albeit slowly but surely. Her opening track featured a gradual build in which she looped electric violin plucks, eventually adding drums and bass – all orchestrated by the performer herself, standing solo onstage. Bold strategy to keep it low-key as attendees filled the space, but after her opener, she definitely delivered on some high energy tracks. It’s always the best when you go to a show, haven’t heard of the opener, but get absolutely blown away by their performance.
Last year, Ibeyi recorded an adaptation of a song from musical Hamilton – an obscure theatre reference, I know – called “Rise Up Wise Up Eyes Up.” They take these lines from Lin-Manuel Miranda’s smash hit and turn it into an empowering anthem, one that can be heard as a call to stay woke in an age of news and media over-saturation, where sometimes it feels overwhelmingly like we are watching the world fall apart in real time. Theatre nerds, listen to the track on YouTube if you haven’t already! The Royale show was the very first time they played the song live, which was such a treat to be present for.
The most touching moment of their set came when they performed “Valé.” Before getting started, they explained the background of this song: their older sister died in 2013, leaving a young daughter behind. They wrote “Valé as a lullaby to their niece. After hearing throughout the set how inspirational, supportive, and influential their own mother is to their lives and career, it was heartbreaking to think of this young girl not being able to have that same support as she grows, though she will have two nurturing aunts who can share their love in song. Other highlights included “No Man Is Big Enough For My Arms,” an anthem about empowering women and girls that was inspired by and features a sample from a Michelle Obama speech; “Better In Tune With the Infinite,” Ibeyi’s cover of a Jay Electronica song; and also every single other track because they were simply amazing, energetic, perfect.
The battle-cry of the night came in the form of the song “Deathless.” The single deals with an incident of racial profiling and wrongful arrest that happened to Lisa-Kaindé during her youth in Paris. It is an assertion of inner strength and to hear the chant, beckoned forward by the duo into a roar, was utterly heart-stopping. With a crowd fresh off of Pride festivities, Ibeyi carved out space for the ‘others,’ leading the crowd to stake claim to what is yours, and what is ours.
