Rhiannon Giddens: Songs that bring history to life
Rhiannon Giddens: Canciones que dan vida a la historia
With a rich voice and an equally rich sense of history, Rhiannon Giddens animates American folk tradition with her electrifying song interpretations. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
si no vienes aquí mismo,
numerous work songs,
en numerosas canciones de trabajo,
your history as a musician
tus orígenes como músico
the music comes from
de la música y de este país.
about the Civil War
y sobre la esclavitud.
con toda esa emoción
what I do with all that emotion,
estas historias de la gente,
fue terrible, porque lo fue,
de cómo fue para esas personas,
of how it was for these people.
that could've been me."
hay que hacer algo
en algunas de esas narrativas que leí,
some of those narratives that I read,
by the boss's man.
por el hombre del jefe.
the rest of our lives
éramos marido y mujer.
we were man and wife.
de azul saltaron el muro.
you have to have the light.
ha habido un trabajo de cientos de años
hundreds of years
canciones de Hermana Rosetta Tharpe,
of tunes from Sister Rosetta Tharpe,
de la música estadounidense
American music figures
nunca hayan oído hablar.
de la guitarra del rock and roll,
of rock 'n' roll guitar,
interpretó tanto góspel como música laica.
from gospel to secular.
y hablaré de ella siempre que pueda.
whenever I can.
la oportunidad de cantar también Uds.
your chance to sing.
Mira abajo, mira abajo
por encima de mi cabeza,
música en el aire.
I really do believe
quiero escuchar ese bajo.
give me some of that bass.
saben cómo funciona, ¿no?
y'all know how it goes, don't you?
que existe el paraíso en alguna parte.
I really do believe
I really do believe
el paraíso en alguna parte.
I really do believe
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Rhiannon Giddens - MusicianWith a rich voice and an equally rich sense of history, Rhiannon Giddens animates American folk tradition with her electrifying song interpretations.
Why you should listen
Singer-songwriter Rhiannon Giddens is the co-founder of the Grammy-winning string band, Carolina Chocolate Drops, playing banjo and fiddle. Giddens's 201 Grammy-nominated solo debut, Tomorrow Is My Turn, blends gospel, jazz, blues and country, showcasing her dazzling vocal prowess. Her follow-up album, Freedom Highway, largely comprised of original songs, was released to widespread critical acclaim in February 2017.
Giddens performed at the Obama White House and duets with country star Eric Church on his powerful anti-racism hit "Kill a Word." In 2016, she received the BBC Radio 2 Folk Award for Singer of the Year and the Steve Martin Prize for Excellence in Bluegrass and Banjo. Giddens also has a recurring role on the recently revived television drama Nashville.
Rhiannon Giddens | Speaker | TED.com