Tell Me Why: Amina and "Dis-Moi Pourquoi"

Today's song is by French-Tunisian singer-songwriter Amina Annabi, who is best known for finishing second in the 1991 Eurovision Song Contest. Her family was involved in setting up the Tunisian Tabarka Music Festival, and so at an early age Annabi was introduced to music through concerts by Joan Baez, James Brown and Algerian singer Warda. She also became friends with Senegalese star Wasis Diop. She formed her own group, but in 1982 she went solo, as well as developing a relationship with producer Martin Meissonnier of the French radio station Radio Nova. She won a music contest in 1983 with an Arabic-influenced rap song called Shehérazade, and began performing in Paris. She eventually married Messonier and had a daughter. She has recorded five solo albums and has released a number of singles, and she has also acted in 15 movies. You can find this song, Dis-Moi Pourquoi, on her 2001 album Nomad, on her 2002 album Le Best of, and on the Putumayo various artists compilation North African Groove (2005).

Listen to songs like this and more on the KUNM Global Music Show every Monday night from 10 pm - 1 am Mountain Standard Time. Live streaming, program information and the two-week digital archive can be found at http://www.kunm.org.

Road Tripping: Eastenders featuring Shady Sheha with "On the Ride"

Today's random tune is by Eastenders featuring Shady Sheha. Eastenders is a collaborative multicultural music project led by German DJ Stefan Mueller (aka DJ Eastenders) and Turkish producer and musician Cem Buldak (aka Afrit). They create an exotic blend of European club with oriental flavors inspired by music of the Middle East, Turkey, Eastern European gypsies and India - and using Eastern instrumentation. Shady Sheha is an Egyptian musician living in Germany who was a contestant on the talent show Germany's Looking for a Superstar. This song, On the Ride, is about forging your own road, staying on it, and making sure you always keep moving. It can be found on the Eastenders 2004 CD Along the Path and on the compilation CD Putumayo Presents: North African Groove (2005).

Soul to Soul: Cheb Jilani and "Bahebakk"

Today's song is by Cheb Jilani, the stage name of Hussein Jilani, a linguistically versatile singer and one of Libya's most popular music stars. Taught by his father to sing Arab folk songs, he became known for his deft renditions of complex songs by Arab pop artists. He mastered classical Arab singing, and he also broadened his appeal across the Arab world by learning various Arab dialects. This song, Bahebakk, is a love song in which Jilani declares "I love my soul because it melted together with your soul." You can find Bahebakk on the 2005 compilation album Putumayo Presents: North African Groove.

Road Trip: Eastenders featuring Shady Sheha and "On the Ride"

Our random tune for this morning is by Eastenders featuring Shady Sheha. Eastenders, a collaborative multicultural music project, is led by German DJ Stefan Mueller (aka DJ Eastenders) and Turkish producer and musician Cem Buldak (aka Afrit). They create an exotic blend of European club with oriental flavors inspired by music of the Middle East, Turkey, Eastern European gypsies and India - and using Eastern instrumentation. Shady Sheha is a young Egyptian musician living in Germany who was a contestant on the talent show Germany's Looking for a Superstar. This song, On the Ride, is about forging your own road, staying on it, and making sure you always keep moving. It can be found on the Eastenders 2004 CD Along the Path and on the compilation CD Putumayo Presents: North African Groove (2005).