Women Of The World - Playlist

International Women’s Day is a time to reflect on progress made, to call for change and to celebrate acts of courage and determination by women, who have played an extraordinary role in the history of their countries and communities.

At World Music Network we are committed to diversity, and inclusivity, so this is a perfect time to highlight the incredible music made by female artists all across the globe.

From the earthy desert blues chanting of Tartit to the golden voice of India’s Anandi Bhattacharya, this is a wonderfully diverse collection of tracks from many of the world’s most pioneering female musicians.

Hope Masike - Listen to the album

Hope Masike - Gomba
Hope Masike is a pioneering singer from Zimbabwe who plays the historically male-dominated mbira (thumb piano). The beautiful ‘Gomba’ is the opening track on her debut international album release The Exorcism Of A Spinster, which sees Hope speak from the heart about the country that she loves and the changing roles of women.


Anandi Bhattacharya - Listen to the album

Anandi Bhattacharya - Maya’s Dream
A child prodigy in a family of renowned musicians, Anandi Bhattacharya was steeped in the Indian classical tradition from an early age. On ‘Maya’s Dream’, Anandi beautifully captures the nostalgia of childhood with a real musical wisdom which belies her years. With sublime accompaniment by her guitarist father Debashish and other leading instrumentalists, Anandi explores her traditional roots within a modern setting.

Tartit- Listen to the album

Tartit – Yahoye
Led by the charismatic Fadimata Walet Oumar known as ‘Disco’, Tartit are a female-fronted band who accompany their singing with cyclic percussive rhythms. Originating from the Timbuktu region of Mali, the band formed whilst in exile between Mauritanian and Burkinabe refugee camps in the mid-90s during the Tuareg uprising. The wonderful ‘Yahoye’ sees the band at their hypnotic best, spreading the message of love and peace whilst transporting the listener to the expanses of the Sahara.

Lala Njava - Listen to the album

Lala Njava – Pardon À L'afrika
Like the flora and fauna of her Madagascar homeland, Lala Njava's music is distinctive and unique. Listen out for her silvery wandering voice, lush guitars, and a rolling pace that draws the listener into a trance-like state.

Saba - Listen to the album

Saba – Hanfarkaan
Born in Mogadishu to an Italian father and Ethiopian mother, Saba has come to represent the meeting of African and European cultures. Melodies ripple in beautiful staccato plucks, framing Saba's impassioned voice with pulsing patterns rising in intensity.

Listen To The Women Of The World Playlist