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Lior Phillips joins Kyle Meredith to talk about her new book, South African Popular Music (Genre: A 33 1/3 Series) — a great summer read we recommended as part of our Summer Gear Guide.
The writer and podcast host (check out This Must Be The Gig on the Consequence Podcast Network!) takes Meredith through what initially drew her to South African music, as well as the stories she ultimately sought to tell with her work. She explains how the political landscape affects the region’s art, the impact of American music’s influence, and the sad history behind “The Lion Sleeps Tonight.”
Phillips goes on to talk about the complicated era of Paul Simon’s Graceland, the reciprocation between Angélique Kidjo and Talking Heads, and how Disney is making up for its past with the release of Black Panther and the live-action Lion King. She also elaborates on why she cringes at the term “world music.”
“I absolutely cringe, my entire body just cringes up like a pretzel, when I hear the term ‘world music,’ because that romanticizes the vastness of our world,” she explains. “Which it is, geographically, but we are so connected, much more than anyone cares to know.”
Listen to Lior Phillips talk about South African Popular Music (Genre: A 33 1/3 Series) and more in the new episode above or watch below via YouTube. Please take the time to like, review, and subscribe to KMW wherever you get your podcasts, and keep up to date with all our series by following the Consequence Podcast Network.