Niger’s Studio Shap Shap to play in Belgium

Based in Niger's capital Niamey, Studio Shap Shap comprises Oumarou Adamou (Niger), Boubacar Siddo Diallo (Niger), Seyni Halidou (Niger), Haruna Abdou (Niger), Christian Koulnodji (Chad) and Laetitia Cecile (Reunion Island).

The six-piece ensemble is known for fusing traditional and contemporary beats.

“It’s an honour for us to be a part of this festival among huge artists such as Melissa Lavaux,” Studio Shap Shap keyboardist Sakina told Music In Africa. “It‘s good to see that there’s space for our musical identity in such a festival.

“It will be our third tour in Europe after our France tour in 2017. We have also toured West African countries such as Niger, Burkina Faso, Benin and Togo at the beginning of 2017.”

Making waves in a tough country

Sakina said the group's music was inspired by nature, the communities they live in and the band members’ historical backgrounds.

“We don’t have a particular musical style, we are doing alternative music," she said. "We like breaking the codes, playing with musical rules and touching people with what’s real. That’s why we use the sounds of everyday life, several languages, old-time stories, beats and spoken word.

“Our music mixes nature and city, traditional and electro, speech and singing. The piano, the bass, the loops are here to magnify the traditional instruments. We’re using ancient knowledge to fulfil and go beyond modernity.”

Sakina said Nigerien musicians were facing many challenges due to lack of assistance.

“You should know that Niger doesn’t have what we can call a music industry. Artists here are on their own and I guess it’s true in every country, but the reality here is much harder. People don’t look at Niger as they look at Mali, Senegal, Ivory Coast or Burkina Faso with a cultural interest.”

She said the main stumbling block was getting recognition out of the country and finding support from knowledgeable industry players.

“We could say that the biggest challenge is to be heard overseas and to get noticed by a real structure or professionals. Even though we are using the web to overcome this and getting some really positive vibes from people who listen to our music, we still have to work and show our best.

"We have to seize every chance that we have and show how we have grown since our first album. We have to keep going through our own means by shooting homemade videos and keep working on new compositions.”

But Sakina said Studio Shap Shap's music was getting positive feedback in the country.

“Nigerien artists and people are welcoming our music with a lot of enthusiasm and pride. We have their support and that means a lot to us.”

Despite the challenges, the group managed to independently release its debut album Chateau I. “We recorded the full album outside under a hut and it’s available on online music platforms. Chateau I has received a lot of positive feedback from people. Now we are busy working our second album,” Sakina said.

Radio days

Studio Shap Shap started off in 2015 as a project that was inspired by a new radio station in Niamey, which was searching for local musicians who could create 27 songs in three days for its broadcast programme.

“We actually did it. After completing the job, we decided to embark on a new journey together under the name Studio Shap Shap. In Niger slang and other West African countries shap shap means ‘quickly, well done’. Besides our differences we are motivated by the urge to enable people to hear the African continent differently,” Sakina said.

Adding to the list of African acts at the three-day Esperanzah Music Festival are Tshegue (Congo/France), Lubiana (Cameroon), Gaël Faye (Rwanda/France) and Melissa Laveaux (Haiti).