With her new studio album "One Grass Skirt To London" Malia presents a life’s story filled with tracks from her youth and important moments throughout her life. One Grass Skirt To London is an 8,200-kilometer journey from Malawi to London, where the singer emigrated to as a teenager. Not only was it a geographical and temporal journey but also a musical one. Though most of all, it was a sentimental one, since the 14 songs carefully chosen for this album are so precious to her because of the memories they contain. Almost all are taken from film soundtracks, from “Everybody's Talkin’” from Midnight Cowboy to “Take My Breath Away” from Top Gun, you find “Pure Imagination” from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory as well as “Here On My Own” from Fame. All of them possess an unique power to evoke an emotion through their music that has shaped her identity, helped overcome trials, and bloom as an artist. Thus, it’s no surprise to hear, in the voice of Malia, sometimes even within the same song, the little girl, the teenager, the woman, and also, as if through a fascinating act of vocal transmigration, the soul of those who are no longer with us.
Like before, she entrusted the instrumental part to a trio comprising pianist Alexandre Saada, bassist Jean-Daniel Botta and drummer Laurent Sériès, with whom Malia has collaborated since Black Orchid. All of them helped her in making this album one of the most personal in her discography.
The Way We Were Pure Imagination Suicide Is Painless I Have Nothing I Follow Rivers Take My Breath Away Everybody’s Talking Love Tender Mania Les Yeux Sans Visage When I’m Cleaning Windows Wanderin’ Star Out Here On My Own Dambala
