Writing a multilingual song with Amanie Illfated

Amanie Illfated (pronounced: ah-MAH-nee eel-fay-ted) is an award winning South Sudanese born international recording artist. Her music consists of thought-provoking multilingual mixed with a dynamic blend of R&B, Afropop, Reggae and Trap, all combined with her signature, clear-toned vocals. She incorporates her personal experiences growing up as a refugee in Canada to deliver inspirational messages of empowerment, healing, diversity and fun, and captivates audiences with her energetic, inclusive live performances. She has been described as the “African M.I.A.”

Amanie shared a song from her new album Divine, Halawa. Download the lyrics here, in 5 languages, with the English translations!

We talked about:

• Incorporating multiple languages into a song
• Cultural differences in dealing with mental health or other health solutions
• Writing upbeat happy music with darker lyrics
• Writing in different languages to make things simple or complex
• Playing around with an unusual structure, as long as you have a great beat pinning it all down