Minneapolis-based singer-songwriter Miloe released a cover of the song "SOLO" Wednesday in honor of Congolese Independence Day and in celebration of Black Music Month.

Miloe — aka Bob Kabeya — was born in the Democratic Republic of Congo and lived there until age 8, at which time he moved to Minneapolis. In October 2020, Miloe released his EP Greenhouse, a collection of songs that provided a bridge between the Congo of his early childhood and the Minnesota he now calls home. "Miloe's reach exceeds the suburban backyard," MTV noted about Greenhouse, "elsewhere capturing the travelogue of his youth in finger plucks and gently swaying piano."

With "SOLO," Miloe covers Lous and the Yakouza — the artistic name of Marie-Pierra Kakoma — who shares Miloe's experience of being born in Congo, being an artist, and having emigrated elsewhere (for Kakoma, her permanent home is now Belgium). "She's stated that she wrote the song thinking about the loneliness that our people and Black people at large face feel due to systemic racism and the effects of colonization," Miloe says.

"Black people and Black women especially have to scream and fight just to receive empathy from this world," Miloe continues. "The lyrics that resonated with me the most are: 'Se battre jusqu'à la meurtre (eh) / Parce qu'on a trop fierté' [We fight to the death / Because we have too much pride] Despite what we face, we are not defined in our trauma. There is so much pride and love for our culture and our people, which will always fuel us in the fight for our humanity."

The video for the song features a conversation between Miloe and his mother, and it was filmed by Miloe's father, Mike Kabeya. Sung in French, the video includes English subtitles.

Miloe will tour in support of Greenhouse starting in August, including a show at First Avenue in Minneapolis on Thursday, Sept. 9.

External Link

Miloe - official site

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