- 2022-08-15
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MUSIC
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Donate to support families affected by the crisis in Ukraine ➔ Sonia Stein Releases New Song “Every Time Africa Plays”
London-based singer-songwriter Sonia Stein released a new song “Every Time Africa Plays” from her upcoming EP “Lessons From Earth, Pt. 2” on August 12, 2022.
The song interpolations Toto's 1982 smash hit “Africa”. It was written by Sonia Stein, Robin Pearkes, David Paich, and Jeffrey Porcaro.
She wrote the song for a tribute to one of her close friends.
Sonia Stein explained, “‘Every Time Africa Plays’ is a song I wrote for one my best friends who had taken her own life in February this year. She was one of the most charismatic, intelligent and hilarious people I knew. After a few months of navigating the very confusing experience of grief, I started feeling her presence, specifically through music. Especially through the song ‘Africa’ by Toto which I had so many memories of her belting out at numerous parties.”
She continued, “This song tries to encapsulate not only the pain of losing her but to celebrate her unique spirit and the joy of having known her and having her in my life. The joy of being able to remember her every time I hear our song.”
The new EP follows up “Lessons From Earth, Pt. 1”, which was released back in March. It is expected to be released later this year.- Sonia Stein shared on social media, “Ivonne or Vochis as many of her close friend and family called her was always the funniest person in the room, and though she kept it a secret sometimes, the smartest one too. She live to make people laugh, to make the rudest joke, to give people unexpected handmade gifts. When she came to visit me, which was as often as we could make it happen, half of her suitcase was filled with paintings she made, not only for me but for my mom, dad, brother and then later when I met him, my boyfriend too.
She was an artist, an art historian, a poet, a writer. Always choosing the most random items that no one fully understood. She had her own internal way of understanding the world. It was playful and silly and subversive. She proudly called herself a marxist feminist in her IG bio. She was obsessed, OBSESSED with Timothee Chalamet. She liked to rescue stray doggos and get reckless tattoos. Her laugh... well I dedicated a whole verse of may song to her laugh because it was truly designed by the gods to spread joy. She enlivened every party, charmed every stranger and felt the world at a higher voltage than most.
When I learned she was gone, the first thing I thought of was, how is she going to come and visit me? What sings will she send me? The song Africa by Toto immediately came to mind. I have so memories of her taking over the music on late nights and surprising everyone with this song, inevitably having everyone join in.” -
“When I was in Mexico in April this year to say goodbye to her presence everywhere. The day we were leaving I got into the cab to head to the airport and driver had his phone connected to the Bluetooth speaker of the car radio. The light of sunrise streamed through the window and the only sound was the occasional beeping of the driver trying to make a phone call. Suddenly, his call hung up and the radio BLASTED a percussion rhythm so loud we all jumped. I learned over took at the display to see what was playing, I didn't immediately recognize it. I couldn't believe what I saw. Of course, the radio display said Africa by Toto but not only that. It was a live version from POLAND.
For those of you who don't know, I am originally from Poland and Ivonne, as a Mexican person had this unlikely connection to my country through me and my family. The whole thing was so unbelievable I just sat in the back of the cab watching the landscape changing, tears streaming down my face. There was not doubt she was there with me at that moment.
Loss is one of the only truly universal human experiences. Everyone of us has or will experience losing someone they love. And though they may not visit you through Toto's Africa, I hope this song is reminder that they're always close, always showing us in small ways that the other side is just a thought away. That even though they are not here for us to text, to hug or go to lunch with, they live on in our memories and hearts and songs. Hope this song takes you to those places.”
Photo by Aaron Bevan-Bailey - source : Apple Music
