● New collection added to permanent channel to show continued support for Black artists
● Gregory Porter and Fatoumata Diawara perform stunning cover tracks from their favourite Black artists as part of Deezer’s ‘Originals’ Sessions
● Dedicated content includes artist-curated playlists from global and upcoming artists including John Legend, Megan Thee Stallion, Mr Eazi and others
This Black History Month, Deezer would like to celebrate and pay tribute to all the talented Black musicians from all over the globe. We’ve worked with artists like Gregory Porter, Fatoumata Diawara, Rhiannon Giddens, and Kalash Criminel to showcase their brilliance through brand new Originals Sessions. We’re also launching 24 playlists that have been curated by Black artists to highlight their music inspirations and the sounds of their home country.
Deezer’s Black History Month Sessions are part of our ongoing commitment to support Black musicians across the world. The sessions will be released weekly over Black History Month and you’ll find them in a special playlist on our permanent and global “Black Culture” Channel. Launched last year, the channel aims to continually recognize and support the many talented Black musicians and podcasters worldwide.
In the new Originals sessions, each artist performs a live cover version of an iconic song from their favourite Black artist, as well as an acoustic cover of their own tracks. The renowned jazz and soul artist Gregory Porter kicks off the series with a beautiful cover performance of Sam Cooke’s “A Change is Gonna Come.” He also treats fans to a new rendition of his own track “When Love Was King.”
When asked what covering Sam Cooke meant to him, Gregory Porter said:
“Even as I sing this song, it connects me to Sam Cooke and his desire for what he was trying to achieve in this song. If you sing with conviction, and sing with a belief in the lyric – that yes I feel this way, that a change is going to come – it’s absolutely optimistic. The song talks about self-doubt, insecurity about love and the outside world. But, the undying optimism comes in the last line. It’s been a long time coming but I know a change is going to come.”
Later this month, Fatoumata Diawara will offer fans a stripped-back version of Ben E. King’s “Stand By Me,” while playing the guitar. She also gives a striking performance of her own track, “Negue Negue”.
Black musicians across many genres, from pop and rap through to soul and classical, have also curated playlists of their favourite songs for Deezer’s “Pocket Songs” and “Midnight Mixtape” series. The lineup includes John Legend, Mr Eazi, Megan Thee Stallion and more. Black artists from the worldwide dance and EDM scene, like Master KG and Sha Sha, will treat fans to playlists showcasing the sound of their home country. All playlists in the channel will roll out across the month, so keep an eye on the Black Culture Channel for their arrival.
“We want to continue giving Black artists the attention and respect they deserve. Our permanent Black Culture Channel is not only a space for discovering, but also a place to learn about black creators and influencers around the world that have shaped some of our favourite genres and podcasts. Since our launch last year, we’ve seen a 260% increase in streams of our “Black Icons of Rock.” We hope that our fans will equally enjoy our Black History Month Collection, as we unite and come together to honour Black musicians from the past, present and future,” said Junior Foster, our Global Editor for the “Black Culture” channel and Head of Global Artist Relations.
Deezer will also be supporting Black artists on its social media channels through a new video series. “Behind the genre” will see Black artists explaining the history behind their genre of music. Fans will also hear personal recommendations on other Black artists that are making waves in their genre in the new “Recommends” series.
Show your support to all Black artists this Black History Month and listen to the new collection exclusively on Deezer’s Black Culture Channel here.