The first indigenous artist to sell a million albums in China is back with a haunting, yet inspirational second studio outing certain to win as many accolades as her debut.
Dadawa's Sister Drum and now Voices From The Sky, both featuring the compositions of He Xuntain, create a kind of new musical mythology based on the belief that in the kingdom of music there are no borders, only a rich past and a fertile future.
On the new album, she mines the enchanting musical heritage of Tibet to produce music which she says is 'alive with harmony, humanity, poetry and the pure love of music'.
'It displays . . . the remarkable symbiosis between the natural world and man's world which is the mark of Tibetan life itself,' said Dadawa.
'This recording [Voices From The Sky] blends realism with surrealism. After visiting Tibet several times, I experienced a feeling of simple emotion coupled with ecstasy for the divine.' This is evident in tracks like The Believer, a musical exploration of the soul of a 'believer' crying out against the structures of religious dogma.
Seven Drums is both a ballad and a tone poem about seven magical drums, part of Tibetan culture.
'The whole song is rich in symbolism . . . the seven drums are the drums of Nema, Dawa, Migma, Ihakpa, Phurbu, Pasang and Bianpa [which symbolise the days of the week],' Dadawa said.
