May 24, 2021
Mdou Moctar, the Tuareg guitarist inspired by the traditional melodies of rural Niger and the bellowing shreds of Eddie Van Halen, is the latest artist to perform on NPR's Tiny Desk (Home) series. The new episode comes a few days after Moctar shared his great new album Afrique Victime, and three of its songs — "Ya Habibti," "Tala Tannam," and "Afrique Victime" — get performed. For the first two songs, Moctar plays a steel-string acoustic, giving the set a bit of an MTV's Unplugged vibe before he breaks out the electric for the finale. Backed by his band and a very pretty rose-printed tapestry, Moctar delivers the perfect set for easing you into the week to come.
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