“Music can heal the wounds that medicine cannot touch." ” - Debasish Mridha,
A collection of five self written songs and South African freedom songs in the languages of our musicians. (Kirundi, Lingala, English and Zulu)
This EP was sponsored by the Cork Arts Office, and Rethink Ireland, recorded at the Ocean Studios Ireland, with Wayne Sheehy as producer.
Bio:
Overpowering Noise With Music
Citadel is a group of musicians formed in the Kinsale Road Accommodation centre in 2018, who refuse to be put down by the system. They are from different countries, playing together and bringing you music from Burundi, South Africa, Angola, Malawi, DRC and Syria.
The musicians perform songs from home, accompanied by rhythms and tunes from the world. Citadel raises awareness and spreads joy, peace and understanding by sharing their music with each other and with the Irish community.
The group was formed in September 2018, after a successful world music day, and have since performed in the International Guitar festival in Clonakilty, the fundraiser for MASI in Dolan’s Warehouse in Limerick, Culture night in Cork, the Intercultural day in Middleton, GLOW festival in Cork, The Big Sing in the National Concert Hall in Dublin, Electric Picnic 2022, Songs from an Open Road in Galway, 2022, and many others.
COVID put a break on their endeavours, but they have regrouped and have taken the stage again. They performed in the ‘Night Out for Ukraine’ concert in the Cork Opera House, at Electric Picnic 2022, the Songs From An Open Road Festival 2022 in Galway and the Sustainable Goals Forum in the Aviva Stadium, Dublin, 2023, their own Festival of Belonging in Triskel Arts Centre, Cork, and many other events.. Some of the musicians are now refugees, others are newly arrived International Protection Applicants. They all speak different languages, but they converse through music.
Current members are Norbert Nkengurutse, Burundi,at the guitar, Esmeraldo Tavares, vocalist, singer -songwriter, djembe, Angola, Gloria Zulu, Vocalist, djembe SA, Neo Gilson and Nesizwe Murutare, vocalists, SA, Omex Chimpeni, Malawi, percussion, Yvan Kana, Burundi, guitar, Mutaz Wahbi from Syria on the darbouka and Davie Namunde, Malawi at the bass guitar.
Recently Citadel was joined by Chadha and Salem from Tunesia and Mohamed Khadiri from Morocco, a rapper. Roos Demol manages the band and helps out with backing vocals
