Njaaya - Senegalese Soul Sister

With their similar background and evocative sound, Njaaya may be Senegal's very own version of Lauryn Hill. From a hip hop start to her current more soulful tracks, this female artist brings emotion to her music that surpasses language barriers.

After starting out with a couple of Africa's biggest rap groups, including Alif - Senegal's first female hip hop group, Njaaya held on to the raw grit from her emcee days, but moved in a more melodic direction with her songwriting. Being a female in the hip hop game is not easy for any of the brave ladies out there fighting the good fight, and so it has been a challenge for Njaaya to rise above the expected codes of femininity in her native Senegal. Luckily, she garnered some attention from the Spanish music scene, and has spent some time touring and building a buzz in the more liberal Spain.

Here is the track Social Living off of her forthcoming album of the same name. It's beautiful mix of afrobeat and soul, and truly reflects the deep energy of a strong woman.