web02.fireside.fm Wed, 15 Apr 2026 14:02:21 -0500 Fireside (https://fireside.fm) Glocal Citizens - Episodes Tagged with “Songwriter” https://glocalcitizens.fireside.fm/tags/songwriter Tue, 12 Jan 2021 05:00:00 -0500 Glocal Citizenship is the recognition that we are simultaneously citizens of our local communities and of the world as a whole. It's about understanding how local actions have global impacts and how global issues affect our local communities. As Glocal Citizens, we strive to be informed, engaged, and responsible individuals who work to create a more just, sustainable, and peaceful world. Explore the intersection of local and global impact with Glocal Citizens! Hosted by Florence Amerley Adu, this podcast delves into the experiences of inspiring individuals bridging their local selves with the wider world. Through engaging conversations with Dynamic Diasporans, Florence explores the personal and professional journeys that define Glocal Citizenship. Along the way, get to know more about the business of their business, including the technical and operational aspects involved in the work of manifesting a new world. Go beyond the headlines and discover how individuals are shaping a more just and sustainable world, both in their own communities and on a global scale. en episodic Dynamic Diasporans Making Local and Global Impact Florence Amerley Adu Glocal Citizenship is the recognition that we are simultaneously citizens of our local communities and of the world as a whole. It's about understanding how local actions have global impacts and how global issues affect our local communities. As Glocal Citizens, we strive to be informed, engaged, and responsible individuals who work to create a more just, sustainable, and peaceful world. Explore the intersection of local and global impact with Glocal Citizens! Hosted by Florence Amerley Adu, this podcast delves into the experiences of inspiring individuals bridging their local selves with the wider world. Through engaging conversations with Dynamic Diasporans, Florence explores the personal and professional journeys that define Glocal Citizenship. Along the way, get to know more about the business of their business, including the technical and operational aspects involved in the work of manifesting a new world. Go beyond the headlines and discover how individuals are shaping a more just and sustainable world, both in their own communities and on a global scale. no borderless mindset, pan-africanism, pan-african progress, dynamic diasporans, solutionscape and stretch salon, entreprenuership, argoadu llc, gbekembe, mmofra channel, culture, business, travel, glocal, global citizen, africa, ghana, new york, florence adu, florence amerley adu, leap transmedia productions, glocal citizens podcast, social entrepreneurship, beyond the return, year of return, tourism, expat living, diaspora, mindset hack, glocal speak, returnee, reparative justice Florence Amerley Adu florence@leaptransmedia.com Episode 56: In a Holy Room with Somi Kakoma https://glocalcitizens.fireside.fm/56 a275ed8a-f06e-4859-be8f-5793f123381b Tue, 12 Jan 2021 05:00:00 -0500 Florence Amerley Adu full Florence Amerley Adu 51:52 no Greetings Glocal Citizens! This week we meet another creative mover and shaker, literally. Born in Illinois to immigrants from Rwanda and Uganda, acclaimed vocalist & songwriter, Somi Kakoma has built a career of transatlantic sonicism and storytelling. Her latest album Holy Room - Live at Alte Oper with Frankfurt Radio Big Band (Salon Africana 2020) was recorded in an 18th Century German opera house in May 2019 and is currently nominated for a 2021 Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal Album. Her last studio album Petite Afrique (Sony 2017) was written as a song cycle about the African immigrant experience in the midst of Harlem’s gentrification in New York City and won the 2018 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Jazz Album. Petite Afrique is the highly anticipated follow-up to Somi's major label debut The Lagos Music Salon (Sony 2014) which was inspired by an 18-month creative sabbatical in Lagos, Nigeria and features special guests Angelique Kidjo and Common landed at #1 on US Jazz charts. Both albums were nominated for ECHO Awards in Germany for Best International Jazz Vocalist. Recently venturing into theater, Somi was named a 2019 Sundance Theater Fellow for her original musical, Dreaming Zenzile (http://octopustheatricals.com/somi#:~:text=Dreaming%20Zenzile%20is%20a%20modern,the%20consciousness%20of%20a%20people) about the great South African singer and activist Miriam Makeba (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miriam_Makeba). The premiere production was shut down days before opening due to COVID-19. Somi is a Soros Equality Fellow, a USA Doris Duke Fellow, a TED Senior Fellow, an inaugural Association of Performing Arts Presenters Fellow, a former Artist-in-Residence at Park Avenue Armory, UCLA's Center for the Art of Performance, The Robert Rauschenberg Foundation and Baryshnikov Arts Center. She is also the founder of Salon Africana, a boutique arts agency and record label that celebrates the very best of contemporary African artists working in the music and literary arts. Also celebrated for her activism, Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon asked Somi to perform at the United Nations’ General Assembly in commemoration of the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade. She was also invited to perform at Carnegie Hall alongside Hugh Masekela (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugh_Masekela), Dave Matthews, and Vusi Mahlesela in celebration of South African democracy. Somi and her band continue to perform at international venues and stages around the world. In her heart of hearts, she is an East African Midwestern girl who loves family, poetry, and freedom. Where to find Somi? www.somimusic.com (https://www.somimusic.com/) On Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/somimusic) On Instagram (http://instagram.com/somimusic) On YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/user/somimusic/featured) On Twitter (https://twitter.com/somimusic) Salon Africana (https://salonafricana.com/) Who is Somi reading? Edwidge Danticat (https://edwidgedanticat.com/) Chimamanda Adichie (https://www.chimamanda.com/) Toni Morrison (https://smile.amazon.com/Toni-Morrison/e/B000APT7NQ?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_2&qid=1610294025&sr=8-2) Rich Dad, Poor Dad (https://read.amazon.com/kp/embed?asin=B08M37LST8&preview=newtab&linkCode=kpe&ref_=cm_sw_r_kb_dp_IjY-FbZHFKSN7&tag=glocalcitizen-20) by Robert T Kiyosaki What’s Somi listening to? Hervé Samb (http://www.hervesamb.com/en/biographie/) Zoë Modiga (https://www.zoemodiga.com/about) Nduduzo Makhathini (http://www.bluenote.com/artist/nduduzo-makhathini/) Julia Sarr (https://www.rfi.fr/en/culture/20190404-Julia-Sarr-breaking-codes-African-song) Other topics of interest- • On Color Energy (http://www.colourenergy.com/html/what-is.html) Special Guest: Somi Kakoma. global citizen, glocal citizens, podcast, africa, holy room, songwriter, playwright, vocalist, music, uganda, rwanda, ghana, somi kakoma, dreaming zenzile, florence adu, leap transmedia, miram makeba, grammys, hugh masekela, jazz, soros fellow, ted fellow, frankfurt radio big band, salon africana Greetings Glocal Citizens!
This week we meet another creative mover and shaker, literally. Born in Illinois to immigrants from Rwanda and Uganda, acclaimed vocalist & songwriter, Somi Kakoma has built a career of transatlantic sonicism and storytelling. Her latest album Holy Room - Live at Alte Oper with Frankfurt Radio Big Band (Salon Africana 2020) was recorded in an 18th Century German opera house in May 2019 and is currently nominated for a 2021 Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal Album. Her last studio album Petite Afrique (Sony 2017) was written as a song cycle about the African immigrant experience in the midst of Harlem’s gentrification in New York City and won the 2018 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Jazz Album. Petite Afrique is the highly anticipated follow-up to Somi's major label debut The Lagos Music Salon (Sony 2014) which was inspired by an 18-month creative sabbatical in Lagos, Nigeria and features special guests Angelique Kidjo and Common landed at #1 on US Jazz charts. Both albums were nominated for ECHO Awards in Germany for Best International Jazz Vocalist.

Recently venturing into theater, Somi was named a 2019 Sundance Theater Fellow for her original musical, Dreaming Zenzile about the great South African singer and activist Miriam Makeba. The premiere production was shut down days before opening due to COVID-19.

Somi is a Soros Equality Fellow, a USA Doris Duke Fellow, a TED Senior Fellow, an inaugural Association of Performing Arts Presenters Fellow, a former Artist-in-Residence at Park Avenue Armory, UCLA's Center for the Art of Performance, The Robert Rauschenberg Foundation and Baryshnikov Arts Center. She is also the founder of Salon Africana, a boutique arts agency and record label that celebrates the very best of contemporary African artists working in the music and literary arts. Also celebrated for her activism, Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon asked Somi to perform at the United Nations’ General Assembly in commemoration of the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade. She was also invited to perform at Carnegie Hall alongside Hugh Masekela, Dave Matthews, and Vusi Mahlesela in celebration of South African democracy.

Somi and her band continue to perform at international venues and stages around the world. In her heart of hearts, she is an East African Midwestern girl who loves family, poetry, and freedom.

Where to find Somi?
www.somimusic.com
On Facebook
On Instagram
On YouTube
On Twitter
Salon Africana

Who is Somi reading?
Edwidge Danticat
Chimamanda Adichie
Toni Morrison
Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert T Kiyosaki

What’s Somi listening to?
Hervé Samb
Zoë Modiga
Nduduzo Makhathini
Julia Sarr

Other topics of interest-
• On Color Energy

Special Guest: Somi Kakoma.

]]> Greetings Glocal Citizens!
This week we meet another creative mover and shaker, literally. Born in Illinois to immigrants from Rwanda and Uganda, acclaimed vocalist & songwriter, Somi Kakoma has built a career of transatlantic sonicism and storytelling. Her latest album Holy Room - Live at Alte Oper with Frankfurt Radio Big Band (Salon Africana 2020) was recorded in an 18th Century German opera house in May 2019 and is currently nominated for a 2021 Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal Album. Her last studio album Petite Afrique (Sony 2017) was written as a song cycle about the African immigrant experience in the midst of Harlem’s gentrification in New York City and won the 2018 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Jazz Album. Petite Afrique is the highly anticipated follow-up to Somi's major label debut The Lagos Music Salon (Sony 2014) which was inspired by an 18-month creative sabbatical in Lagos, Nigeria and features special guests Angelique Kidjo and Common landed at #1 on US Jazz charts. Both albums were nominated for ECHO Awards in Germany for Best International Jazz Vocalist.

Recently venturing into theater, Somi was named a 2019 Sundance Theater Fellow for her original musical, Dreaming Zenzile about the great South African singer and activist Miriam Makeba. The premiere production was shut down days before opening due to COVID-19.

Somi is a Soros Equality Fellow, a USA Doris Duke Fellow, a TED Senior Fellow, an inaugural Association of Performing Arts Presenters Fellow, a former Artist-in-Residence at Park Avenue Armory, UCLA's Center for the Art of Performance, The Robert Rauschenberg Foundation and Baryshnikov Arts Center. She is also the founder of Salon Africana, a boutique arts agency and record label that celebrates the very best of contemporary African artists working in the music and literary arts. Also celebrated for her activism, Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon asked Somi to perform at the United Nations’ General Assembly in commemoration of the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade. She was also invited to perform at Carnegie Hall alongside Hugh Masekela, Dave Matthews, and Vusi Mahlesela in celebration of South African democracy.

Somi and her band continue to perform at international venues and stages around the world. In her heart of hearts, she is an East African Midwestern girl who loves family, poetry, and freedom.

Where to find Somi?
www.somimusic.com
On Facebook
On Instagram
On YouTube
On Twitter
Salon Africana

Who is Somi reading?
Edwidge Danticat
Chimamanda Adichie
Toni Morrison
Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert T Kiyosaki

What’s Somi listening to?
Hervé Samb
Zoë Modiga
Nduduzo Makhathini
Julia Sarr

Other topics of interest-
• On Color Energy

Special Guest: Somi Kakoma.

]]> Episode 39: More Love Now with Kenny Allen Part 2 https://glocalcitizens.fireside.fm/39 529ca59d-b90a-4169-9895-f11c4f7c752e Tue, 15 Sep 2020 05:00:00 -0400 Florence Amerley Adu full Florence Amerley Adu 30:54 no Selam Glocal Citizens! We’re back in East Africa by way of Washington D.C. for this two part conversation with singer, songwriter, music producer and designer, Kenny Allen. Kenny is a singer/songwriter/music producer and has travelled the world performing and recording music with acts like Meshell Ndegeocello and Raheem DeVaughn. In 2005, he was given a six month contract to perform at Addis Ababa’s Harlem Jazz club which proved to be life changing. More than a decade later, Kenny is a resident of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and has become a fixture in the country’s media and entertainment scene, including a successful stint hosting a prime time radio show on the first English Radio station, and acting in film and TV productions. He has released seven independent albums. His new album, More Love Now is soulful, world music inspired, lyrically mature, and stylistically journeyed. Where to find Kenny? * On Bandcamp (https://kennyallen.bandcamp.com/music) * On Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/kenny.allen.1217) * On YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/user/kennyallenmusic) * On Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/undken) What’s Kenny reading? * The Unbearable Lightness of Being (https://smile.amazon.com/dp/0060932139/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_V8NvFbNNKFWW3) by Milan Kundera * The Secret (https://read.amazon.com/kp/embed?asin=B002M5E2DW&preview=newtab&linkCode=kpe&ref_=cm_sw_r_kb_dp_OfOvFb1GSN118&tag=glocalcitizen-20) by Rhonda Byrne * Father of the Tuskegee Airmen, John C. Robinson (https://read.amazon.com/kp/embed?asin=B007MCWI72&preview=newtab&linkCode=kpe&ref_=cm_sw_r_kb_dp_FiOvFb21S7P9E&tag=glocalcitizen-20) by Phillip Thomas Tucker Other topics of interest— * Grammy nominated singer Wayna (http://www.wayna.net/) * Africans in the Czech Republic (https://globalvoices.org/2020/06/24/afro-czechs-on-visibility-racism-and-life-in-the-czech-republic-part-one/) * Revisit Episodes 29 (https://glocalcitizens.fireside.fm/29) and 30 (https://glocalcitizens.fireside.fm/30) with Yana Fleming Special Guest: Kenny Allen. florence adu, leap transmedia, glocal citizens, global citizens, africa, ghana, business, economic development, ethiopia, addis ababa, harlem cafe, wayna, kenny allen, music, undken, more love now, producer, designer, travel, expat, yana fleming, nomad Selam Glocal Citizens!

We’re back in East Africa by way of Washington D.C. for this two part conversation with singer, songwriter, music producer and designer, Kenny Allen. Kenny is a singer/songwriter/music producer and has travelled the world performing and recording music with acts like Meshell Ndegeocello and Raheem DeVaughn. In 2005, he was given a six month contract to perform at Addis Ababa’s Harlem Jazz club which proved to be life changing. More than a decade later, Kenny is a resident of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and has become a fixture in the country’s media and entertainment scene, including a successful stint hosting a prime time radio show on the first English Radio station, and acting in film and TV productions. He has released seven independent albums. His new album, More Love Now is soulful, world music inspired, lyrically mature, and stylistically journeyed.

Where to find Kenny?

What’s Kenny reading?

Other topics of interest—

Special Guest: Kenny Allen.

]]> Selam Glocal Citizens!

We’re back in East Africa by way of Washington D.C. for this two part conversation with singer, songwriter, music producer and designer, Kenny Allen. Kenny is a singer/songwriter/music producer and has travelled the world performing and recording music with acts like Meshell Ndegeocello and Raheem DeVaughn. In 2005, he was given a six month contract to perform at Addis Ababa’s Harlem Jazz club which proved to be life changing. More than a decade later, Kenny is a resident of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and has become a fixture in the country’s media and entertainment scene, including a successful stint hosting a prime time radio show on the first English Radio station, and acting in film and TV productions. He has released seven independent albums. His new album, More Love Now is soulful, world music inspired, lyrically mature, and stylistically journeyed.

Where to find Kenny?

What’s Kenny reading?

Other topics of interest—

Special Guest: Kenny Allen.

]]> Episode 38: More Love Now with Kenny Allen Part 1 https://glocalcitizens.fireside.fm/38 c84cf7ba-47e4-484d-983d-8c89516615ae Tue, 08 Sep 2020 06:00:00 -0400 Florence Amerley Adu full Florence Amerley Adu 25:27 no Selam Glocal Citizens! We’re back in East Africa by way of Washington D.C. for this two part conversation with singer, songwriter, music producer and designer, Kenny Allen. Kenny is a singer/songwriter/music producer and has travelled the world performing and recording music with acts like Meshell Ndegeocello and Raheem DeVaughn. In 2005, he was given a six month contract to perform at Addis Ababa’s Harlem Jazz club which proved to be life changing. More than a decade later, Kenny is a resident of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and has become a fixture in the country’s media and entertainment scene, including a successful stint hosting a prime time radio show on the first English Radio station, and acting in film and TV productions. He has released seven independent albums. His new album, More Love Now is soulful, world music inspired, lyrically mature, and stylistically journeyed. Where to find Kenny? * On Bandcamp (https://kennyallen.bandcamp.com/music) * On Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/kenny.allen.1217) * On YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/user/kennyallenmusic) * On Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/undken) What’s Kenny reading? * The Unbearable Lightness of Being (https://smile.amazon.com/dp/0060932139/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_V8NvFbNNKFWW3) by Milan Kundera * The Secret (https://read.amazon.com/kp/embed?asin=B002M5E2DW&preview=newtab&linkCode=kpe&ref_=cm_sw_r_kb_dp_OfOvFb1GSN118&tag=glocalcitizen-20) by Rhonda Byrne * Father of the Tuskegee Airmen, John C. Robinson (https://read.amazon.com/kp/embed?asin=B007MCWI72&preview=newtab&linkCode=kpe&ref_=cm_sw_r_kb_dp_FiOvFb21S7P9E&tag=glocalcitizen-20) by Phillip Thomas Tucker Other topics of interest— * Grammy nominated singer Wayna (http://www.wayna.net/) * Africans in the Czech Republic (https://globalvoices.org/2020/06/24/afro-czechs-on-visibility-racism-and-life-in-the-czech-republic-part-one/) * Revisit Episodes 29 (https://glocalcitizens.fireside.fm/29) and 30 (https://glocalcitizens.fireside.fm/30) with Yana Fleming Special Guest: Kenny Allen. florence adu, leap transmedia, glocal citizens, global citizens, africa, ghana, business, economic development, ethiopia, addis ababa, harlem cafe, wayna, kenny allen, music, undken, more love now, producer, designer, travel, expat, yana fleming, nomad Selam Glocal Citizens!

We’re back in East Africa by way of Washington D.C. for this two part conversation with singer, songwriter, music producer and designer, Kenny Allen. Kenny is a singer/songwriter/music producer and has travelled the world performing and recording music with acts like Meshell Ndegeocello and Raheem DeVaughn. In 2005, he was given a six month contract to perform at Addis Ababa’s Harlem Jazz club which proved to be life changing. More than a decade later, Kenny is a resident of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and has become a fixture in the country’s media and entertainment scene, including a successful stint hosting a prime time radio show on the first English Radio station, and acting in film and TV productions. He has released seven independent albums. His new album, More Love Now is soulful, world music inspired, lyrically mature, and stylistically journeyed.

Where to find Kenny?

What’s Kenny reading?

Other topics of interest—

Special Guest: Kenny Allen.

]]> Selam Glocal Citizens!

We’re back in East Africa by way of Washington D.C. for this two part conversation with singer, songwriter, music producer and designer, Kenny Allen. Kenny is a singer/songwriter/music producer and has travelled the world performing and recording music with acts like Meshell Ndegeocello and Raheem DeVaughn. In 2005, he was given a six month contract to perform at Addis Ababa’s Harlem Jazz club which proved to be life changing. More than a decade later, Kenny is a resident of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and has become a fixture in the country’s media and entertainment scene, including a successful stint hosting a prime time radio show on the first English Radio station, and acting in film and TV productions. He has released seven independent albums. His new album, More Love Now is soulful, world music inspired, lyrically mature, and stylistically journeyed.

Where to find Kenny?

What’s Kenny reading?

Other topics of interest—

Special Guest: Kenny Allen.

]]>