Lass
Freedom to travel

The Senegalese singer has followed up his promising debut album with ‘Passeport’, a groovy, socially conscious album.

It was in 2022 that Lass, born in the suburbs of Dakar and inspired by the voices of Oumou Sangaré and Yandé Codou Sène, first made his talent known, when his album ‘Buyamé’ brought West African melodies and the Lingala language to France.

His new album, a beautiful blend of melancholy ballads and vibrant Afro-pop, was produced by Jordan Kouby (who has worked with Imany, Keziah Jones and Faada Freddy, among others). Lass brought fellow musicians and friends on board, including pianist Roberto Fonseca, whom he considers “a brother”, and friend David Walters. “We connected during the recording of Bruno Patchworks Voilaaa project, and stayed in touch, communicating regularly and often collaborating on various projects, and the connection has become a friendship.”

He's far from being consumed by his ego, and wants his creativity to serve his convictions, enhancing its healing power. Starting with the very title of the album, Passeport: “Its aim is simply to draw attention to a major inequity between continents: some have the right passport, while others don't. Today, we're talking about the right to travel. Today, we're talking about globalisation and how the world has become a little global village. Cultural, economic and human interactions are crucial. It is incomprehensible that an African should have to ask for permission to travel. Meanwhile, Europeans, Americans and Asians only have to buy a ticket to explore the world. Africans remain confined to the continent.”

Lass's response to this claustrophobic feeling is to make his music as eclectic as possible. The beautiful closing track on Passeport, ‘Samba’, testifies to his eternal curiosity: “As an artist, I don't set limits, I'm constantly exploring. I draw inspiration from many of my African peers, like Bembeya Jazz, Orchestra Baobab, Youssou N'Dour and Salif Keita. This diverse pool of artists enriches my musical horizons enormously.”