ASA HITS US WITH N.Y.C. AND L.A. CONCERTS

Nigerian songstress Asa will release her soulful and uplifting sophomore album, Beautiful Imperfection, in the US on September 6th through Naïve Records. Building upon the tremendous international success of her 2007 self-titled debut, Asa expands both her emotional and stylistic range on her follow-up. Beautiful Imperfection has already received acclaim in numerous countries across the sea, and now Asa is setting her sights on the US.

N.Y.C.:
Tuesday June 08 / 2011
New York City - Rockwood Music Hall
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L.A.:
Monday June 13 / 2011
Los Angeles - The Hotel Cafe
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From the opening track, “Why Can’t We,” it is apparent that Asa is exploring new territory with this collection of songs. While being anchored in the same timeless and heartfelt spirit of her debut, she has also grown as an artist and taken the next logical step in her evolution as a singer and songwriter. Asa first caught the ears of her global audience with her smoky voice and confident political messages, which were wrapped in deceptively sweet melodies and laid-back acoustic guitar strumming. On Beautiful Imperfection she has shifted her goal towards creating more joyous, uplifting music, while weaving together 60’s soul, pop, reggae, rock, and more. Tracks like “Be My Man” have a playful, up-tempo feel while others, such as closing track “Questions,” are gorgeous, haunting ballads.

The decision to include songs with more of a positive, hopeful sentiment was a natural one, as Asa wrote the new material while her aspirations of being a musician were finally fully in motion. Growing up in Lagos, Nigeria, she spent countless hours getting lost in the music and messages of artists like Fela Kuti, Marvin Gaye, Michael, Jackson, and King Sunny Adé. Though she always dreamt of being a musician herself, she didn’t think this goal was within the scope of her reality. However, as a teenager Asa’s mixture of perseverance, talent, and good fortune led to her being discovered while performing while an ensemble in France. Now Asa is ready to fully follow her muse and bring the whole world along with her.

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Asa's Beautiful Imperfection - album of the week on radio 2 UK.

Asa’s new album ‘Beautiful Imperfection’ hit UK stores on Monday 4th April 2011. It instantly became the album of the week on radio 2.

Born 28 years ago in Paris, Asa returned very young to Lagos. Residencies and exchange programs with France eventually led her to Naïve, the French music label, and produced in 2007 a first successful album which sold over 300 000 copies, and of the second, Beautiful Imperfection, was released at the end of 2010.

Uncut // *** “Elegant torch from West African wondergirl (…) African ryhtms clashing with the reggae sway Lauryn Hill does so well”
The Guardian // **** ” When she gets her jazz groove on in Bimpé and Be My Man, you wish the songs would never end”

Mojo //*** & Rising feature “Asa’s second LP delivers intelligent, funked-up soul-pop (…) A voice that mixes Macy Gray huskiness with Nina Simone passion”

BBC // “Imperfect but frequently beautiful, much like the world it inhabits.”

Echoes // cover story “Asa rides the wind of storm and evolves into something quite special”

Pride //*** “A cool retro feeling groove (…) We’re digging this new, uplifted style”

Yannick Noah ft. Asa - HELLO

Born in the North of France (Sedan, Ardennes) in 1960, Yannick Noah is the son of a Cameroonian soccer player, Zacharie Noah, and his French wife Marie-Claire. After a sports injury in 1963, Noah's father returned to Africa with his family. There Yannick made his debut in tennis and soon showed an amazing talent that eventually brought him to the French Tennis Federation's training center in Nice in 1971, after Black-American tennis legend Arthur Ashe discovered him while he was playing a tournament in Africa. Six years later Yannick Noah won his first victory in the Wimbledon junior category and became professional the next year.

He is best remembered for winning the men's singles title at the French Open in 1983, and as a highly-successful captain of France's Davis Cup and Fed Cup teams. Since his retirement from the game, Noah has remained in the public eye as a very popular music performer and as the co-founder, with his mother, of a charity organization for underprivileged children.

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