AWEN (FR)
In Celtic mythology, everyone knows the magical AWEN, but there are disagreements about what it is and, mostly, what it can do.
Some believe it’s a spirit that gives glimpses of the future, while others affirm it’s a symbol of balance between opposites. However, for most people, it is a woman, the muse of creativity - and the artists she touches act like they were possessed.
When singer-songwriter AWEN chose this name, she wasn’t aware of these implications. But, strangely, she couldn’t have picked a better one: she embodies all of these ideas.
AWEN has always navigated between distant worlds. Born in Paris from a French mother and a Malian-Senegalese father, she’s long been torn between her passion for singing and her successful career in Hong Kong as a lawyer. But when her father passed away in 2016, she decided to give up her job and move back to France to try to become a professional artist.
Building upon her cultural heritage and her musical tastes (she grew up listening to artists such as Nina Simone, Bob Marley and Marvin Gaye), AWEN started to produce her unique style of Afro-house. It mixed electronic instrumentation with timeless melodies - and a touch of spirituality.
“In Western Africa, our family name has a special perception”, she explains. “It’s the name of a legendary sorcerer king; that’s why I describe myself as an Afro-house witch”, she laughs, before adding: “but I mostly like the fact that, nowadays, witches have become icons of feminism and freedom.”
In 2019, AWEN released her first solo album, Redemption. It was followed by 6 EPs and singles, including collaborations with upcoming afro-house stars such as Floyd Lavine, Daniel Rateuke or Enoo Napa. It includes “Your Voice” with Caiiro (2020), a song that channels raw feelings of faith, love and hope with such intensity that many listeners wondered if the lyrics were about God - AWEN actually wrote them as a letter to her son, who was unborn yet.
“Your Voice” gained a cult status that made it unescapable among housefans - with the exception of Adam Port. Strangely enough, the legendary DJ/producer only heard it for the first time two years after its release (!), while he was in a bar in Istanbul. Impressed, he shazamed it and proposed to produce a remix. Released in 2022, his version confirmed the song as a global sensation: it dominated the Beatport charts and took Coachella by storm when AWEN performed it on stage.
“My son was born after I wrote “Your Voice” for him”, she says. “All the blessings I get from this song... I feel like they are gifts from him.”
With her other hits “Gold” and “Kusimama”, plus a release on legendary label DFTD (“Time”, with Christoph), AWEN’s futuristic blend of empowering lyrics and mysterious universe seduces an ever-growing global audience. “My dad came from Africa, my mom is European, and I lived several years in Asia. I feel like I belong everywhere”, she says with a smile.
One of the other reasons of AWEN’s success is her ability to transcend her repertoire on stage. Standing at 1m83 (6 ft.) with her signature braids and a deep voice, the artist is a commanding presence that captivates concertgoers across the world. “I’m mixing, I’m singing, I’m proposing a visual experience”, she details. “I want my performances to be a whole experience. I want to give Afro House the global visibility it deserves.”
It might just be a question of time. Because when your name is a call to the divine, some things are just meant to be