Zebu Nation

Apalled by the environmental destruction taking place in her native Madagascar, singer Razia Said has created an inspired musical call to action. Buoyed but the irresistible rhythms and catch melodies of traditional malagasy music, Razia's accessible approach and engaging song craft create an album with a timely message and timeless beauty.

Razia's nomadic life has taken her across Africa to France, Italy, Ibiza, Bali and New York City, but despite these wanderings, her heart and soul remains inexorably tethered to Madagascar, the land of her birth. Her musical explorations have also been wide ranging, and over the years Razia has experimented with French chanson, rock, jazz and even smooth, Sade-style R&B. But it took reaching back to her cultural roots for Razia to uncover her true artistic calling as one of African music's most promising talents. With the album Zebu Nation, Razia has created an inspiring collection of songs that draw deeply on the music she heard growing up in the town of Antalaha in northeastern Madagascar.

For six weeks in 2006, Razia and her musicians traveled around Madagascar, and discovered along the way the environmental damage taking place as the result of unfettered slash and burn agriculture and climate change. Razia's longing to protect and preserve the environmental and cultural heritage of her homeland permeates the songs on the album, and gives Zebu Nation a powerful, real-world significance.

But even after the trip to Madagascar, there was much work to be done to finish Zebu Nation, and Razia the next couple of years working with a range of producers and musicians, such as Malagasy guitarist Dozzy Njava, accordionist Regis Gizavoand a number of top New York-based musicians to craft an album that captured Razia's particular musical vision. Thanks to an intense attention to detail, strong sense of style and unwavering devotion to the craft of Malagasy music, Razia created an exceptional album that will surely catapult her to great international renown. While it has taken her many years and life detours before she arrived at this musical destination, with Zebu Nation, Razia Said has finally returned home.