Ibeyi: Five Essential Albums (Plus One)

As FUV honors music pioneers over the next month, we also reached out to a new generation of rising artists and innovators to discuss the "Five Essential Albums" that have guided them creatively and personally.

Time really does fly. It's hard to believe that it has been seven years since FUV first met twin sisters Lisa-Kaindé and Naomi Diaz of Ibeyi at SXSW in Austin, where they charmed us by singing their single, "River," not only a cappella, but in bed, tucked under a duvet! The duo have gone on to release two albums, their 2015 self-titled debut and 2017's Ash. On May 6, they'll release their third, Spell 31, via XL Recordings.

The Diaz sisters, who call Paris their hometown, traveled to London to record with producer Richard Russell for this new project and connected with some intriguing British collaborators for three songs, including Jorja Smith ("Lavender & Red Roses"), Pa Salieu ("Made of Gold"), and Berwyn ("Rise Above"). As always, the French-Cuban sisters' Yoruban roots is reflected in the ten new songs, as is an arc of spiritual healing and a mystic undertow: a poem found in The Ancient Egyptian Book of the Dead inspired the album's title.

As for looking back on the "Pioneers of Music" that have influenced them, Lisa-Kaindé and Naomi took turns making choices for FUV's "Five Essential Albums" — and they also chose a sixth album, by their dad, the legendary Cuban percussionist Miguel "Angá" Diaz. Sadly, he passed away in 2006, before he had a chance to hear the beautiful, empowering music that his daughters have recorded, but his spirit is intertwined in all that they do — in fact, Lisa-Kaindé and Naomi have found a way to include both of their parents on Spell 31.

Ibeyi's Five Essential Albums:

Nina Simone, Wild is the Wind 
Lisa-Kaindé: "She is my goddess. My forever inspiration. I love her voice and the way she played the piano. I admire her and the way she reflected the violence of her time. She is the example of what it means to be an artist. She healed me in so many ways through music. She made me feel heard and not alone. She made me feel proud of my ancestry. Proud of my roots. She made me push myself leading me by example."

Kendrick Lamar, To Pimp a Butterfly
Naomi: "Kendrick has been part of our lives since we were teenagers. We would listen to him a lot, and still to this day. He is such an inspiring and empowered artist. He is different, his sound is different. I remember how Lisa and I would rap to his songs together when we were in Cuba. Timeless."

Meshell Ndegeocello, Bitter
Lisa-Kaindé: "I remember listening to this album with my mother and it was a gift that changed my life. It was like having a conversation with the universe. Her music, her lyrics, her voice, the way she plays bass… To me, Meshell is one of the most important musicians of our times. Her albums changed me. They taught me so much and still touch me so deeply. They are transformative. She inspired me to write music."

Aṣa, Aṣa
Lisa-Kaindé: "Aṣa is an album I listened to thousands of times when I was 14 years old. She is the first artist I ever heard that made pop-soul music singing in Yoruba, her native language from Nigeria. She and our Dad are the reasons why I knew it was possible to mix my Afro-Cuban culture with the music I loved and wanted to make. I identified with her so strongly. She also wrote a song for her mother called 'So Beautiful' that inspired me to write "Mama Says." I remember how much I longed to be on stage with her when I was a teenager, watching her from the audience. Years later, I had the honor to join her. I am forever thankful."

Prince, Parade
Naomi: "Prince belongs to our most intimate family memories. At home, we would listen to a lot of music and we remember dancing to his songs as one of the most joyful parts of our childhood. Pure happiness. Meeting him years later at one of our gigs changed our life. He is an important part of Ibeyi’s journey and we still feel connected to him."

Angá Diaz, Echu Mingua 
Lisa-Kaindé and Naomi: "Our dad left us a legacy when he passed away. His music is one of the ways we get to still connect to him and feel him. He was a master to so many musicians and we know that part of the reason why we created Ibeyi, is to let him live through us and our music. I hope he would be proud of us and the music we make. We are definitely proud and such fans of his."

- Lisa-Kaindé and Naomi Diaz of Ibeyi
February 2022