Nubiyan Twist ft: Fatoumata Diawara - Chasing Shadows’ (Official Video)

Chasing Shadows’ is the powerful new single from UK collective Nubiyan Twist, featuring Grammy-nominated Malian singer and activist Fatoumata Diawara. The track is both a celebration and a lament: a call to honour ancestral wisdom while warning of the technological forces that erase, commodify, and exploit cultural heritage for profit.

At its heart, ‘Chasing Shadows’ is also deeply personal. Fatoumata’s lyrics explore motherhood, family, and the constant push and pull between love and freedom – between nurturing and letting go. “It’s about the freedom of our children,” says Fatoumata. “It’s a message to the parents: you cannot control everything, you just have to let go.”

Reflecting on her relationship with her children and the challenges of working away from home as a touring musician, her words bring tenderness and humanity to the song’s wider themes. It becomes a meditation not only on legacy and culture, but also on how we pass love and wisdom from one generation to the next - ensuring those threads are never broken, no matter how much the world changes.

Tom Excell and Fatoumata first met while performing with Africa Express in Mexico, Damon Albarn’s celebrated cross-cultural project. The spark from that encounter has grown into an ongoing creative relationship, with ‘Chasing Shadows’ the latest fruit of their collaboration.

Fatoumata’s voice channels the depth of her West African musical heritage, drawing on Mali’s griot traditions, the storytelling of Wassoulou, and her own modern cross-cultural artistry. Meanwhile, Nubiyan Twist layer fiercely hypnotic, riff-driven grooves with UK jazz finesse, Afrobeat horns and percussive fire inspired by their late collaborator Tony Allen. The result is an anthem that feels both ancient and futuristic - rooted in rhythm, family, and freedom.

Formed in 2011 at Leeds College of Music, Nubiyan Twist have evolved into one of the UK’s most forward-thinking and electrifying ensembles. Known for their infectious fusion of jazz, afrobeat, soul, and hip-hop the 9-piece collective have built a reputation for virtuosic musicianship and high-energy live shows that transcend genre and geography.