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Artist News Releases
Devendra Banhart announces new album, Ma
By Andy Malt | Published on Wednesday 19 June 2019
Devendra Banhart has announced that he will release his third album, ‘Ma’, in September. The collection of songs loosely themed on maternal love sees him perform in English, Spanish and Portuguese.
The decision to write in Spanish, he says, was inspired by recent experiences in Venezuela, where he grew up. He explains: “My brother is in Venezuela, my cousins, my aunts and uncles. They are just holding their breath, in gridlock standstill”.
“There’s this helplessness”, he adds. “This place that has been a mother to you, that you’re a mother to as well, and it’s suffering so much. There is nothing you can do but send out love and remain in that sorrowful state”.
‘Ma’ closes with ‘Will I See You Tonight?’, a collaboration with Vashti Bunyan. Banhart says of working with the folk legend: “Vashti is the archetype of the mother, one of the most important people in my life. It was so beautiful to sing this duet with her”.
The album is out on 13 Sep, and first single ‘Kantori Ongaku’ – which translates from Japanese as ‘country music’ – is out now. Watch the video here:
