Ahead of the release of their star-studded new album, Afro-French-Cuban twins Lisa-Kaindé and Naomi Diaz discuss love, revolution and taking inspiration from ancient Egypt
The first time I interviewed the Afro-French-Cuban musicians Ibeyi – twin sisters Lisa-Kaindé and Naomi Diaz – was in 2015. I was a student, Skyping from my damp bedroom, writing about them for my university magazine. They were excitable 20-year-olds in Paris on the brink of putting out their self-titled debut album, the name derived from the Yoruba word for twins with divine powers. “It’s so weird!” beams Lisa-Kaindé now, “People who’ve been following us for 10 years are still here, and still write to us, and still want to see our shows!”
This should come as no surprise. Since that beguiling first album of soulful music pulling from the breadth of their heritage, Ibeyi have grown and grown. Their gently experimental songs teem with harmony and synchronicity, while soft chants in French, Yoruba and English shimmer with warmth and spirituality. Their second album, 2017’s Ash, made several end-of-year lists, and in 2016, they appeared on Beyoncé’s groundbreaking visual album Lemonade.
