She's the grand old lady of Zanzibar music, but still possessing a remarkably flexible voice. One of the leading singers of taarab, the Arab music influenced style that's important in the country, you can hear North Africa not only in her voice, but also in the music that frames it -- they way the violins soar, for instance. It's impossible not to think of divas like Um Kalthum when you listen to
Bi Kidude, the way she can ululate and emote with just the slightest inflections. Yet that's not the sum of its parts; there are also strong touches of east Africa, which is inevitable. Considering this is all relatively recent material, recorded in the last decade, she's still got the power. ~ Chris Nickson