Ibeyi

‘I don’t make spells anymore; now I make offerings’

What does it mean to let go and return to yourself? This is what Offering asks, the new body of work from Ibeyi. Coming four years after their third album, Spell31, the French-Cuban twins are back with a fearless and sacrificial project. They are no longer asking for permission; they are no longer waiting for acceptance. There is no magic formula to follow anymore. Instead, Offering is a scattering of self, of ego and of expectations. If Spell31 was about the power of manifestation, Offering is a libation, an invitation to release. Through 12 songs, Ibeyi brings you on a journey of rediscovery, an evolution of sound and self, allowing the music to tell the story of who they are, who they have been and where they are going.
Offering heralds the arrival of their first project since going independent, now collaborating with a number of new producers, with Naomi Diaz and Lisa-Kaindé Diaz also handing over the reins of percussion and piano to a host of talented musicians.
Now, 12 years after the release of their breakthrough EP Oya, including the single River, which received critical acclaim, earning them international recognition, Ibeyi are maturing in themselves and their art. “We can’t be in the same state of mind we were when we were 18,” says Naomi. Building on their previous EP and albums, the Ibeyi stamp that solidified their celebrated sound is still present. Whether through the kaleidoscope of personal lyricism sung in English, French, Spanish and Yoruba or ethereal melodies. And now for Offering, “there’s no middle ground,” Naomi says. We traverse between thumping undercurrents of percussion and heavy bases, to subtle incantations and delicate harmonies. “We start with a feeling," Lisa-Kaindé adds, “it’s never been a specific genre”.
Although living separate lives, the sisters were still connected through an accumulation of mirrored life events that shaped and strengthened their relationship to each other, aligning them artistically more than ever before. “Failure is nothing else but realignment,” says Lisa.
“Ibeyi is a balance between the two of us,” Naomi explains. And their latest project is a Rorschach test of its own. For Naomi, it symbolises a step into adulthood, confidence and leaving all expectations at the door. And for Lisa-Kaindé, Offering represents a step into the unknown, an exercise in having faith and listening to guides. Their paths still end in the same conclusion.
After ego death, where do you go next? After over a decade creating together as Ibeyi, who are you? “We needed to stop and leave things,” says Naomi. Ibeyi are less interested in seeking validation; they are robust in their convictions and their vision. Offering represents a vulnerability that can only come with growing older, accepting failure and passing through it.
“We had to go home,” Naomi explains, both metaphorically and literally. Now, through their visuals, Ibeyi are inviting audiences into a part of their world they have never shared before. “I want people to see the Cuba we all see.” All shot on location in Havana, and working with local artists, musicians and their community, Offering brings audiences into the places they know and love. “What better place to reconnect with who you are than your home?” says Lisa.
Grounded in the future, Offering is a hopeful revolution of self. Offering asks you to release, to dance and to bravely carry the courage to evolve.