Gwen & Tiana
Biography Gwen & Tiana
Gwen & Tiana
You can feel something special, something gripping in the air every time Gwen & Tiana go on stage. You see them look at each other, smile at each other and, all of a sudden, they are in complete adoration of their African legacies, soul music, jazz, but also of each member of the public who showed up to celebrate with them.
« Music is, for us, about sharing, at all stages of the process: in the composition, the collaborations, as well as on stage with the public. »
That friendship, that unfailing bond is rooted in the complementarity of the two singing artists: a complementarity of genders (Gwen Thomas, he; Tiana Ewane, she), of personalities, of cultural crossings, of instruments, of singing ranges. But just as you don’t get a baby by adding up their parents’ genes, Gwen & Tiana is not only half of Gwen Thomas and half of Tiana Ewane. The two Afro-optimists gave birth to an entity of its own, with its unique style and personality, and a long sought-after identity which has germinated and matured by dint of inner and intercontinental journeys, ending up in a hybrid place along the musical landscape of the world.
« We wanted to go beyond soul music, which has always been an important part of our artistic expression. Exploring African culture enables us to create connections, to build bridges between Africa and Europe, while our musical mixture has the taste of our own influences. ».
Just like their music, the singers of Gwen & Tiana do not come from one African country only, neither do they draw their inspiration from one sole African culture. Gwen & Tiana’s music unapologetically proclaims its diversity and cultural crossing. Gwen Thomas and Tiana Ewane met between France and Switzerland, but if only; Tiana comes from Cameroon and Madagascar, and Gwen, from Gabon, Togo, Senegal and Mauritania. A blend of numerous styles, their hybrid music is an alchemy between energetic African rhythmics and African Jazz sounds. Their EP African Time, a poetic and melodious break with an unusual Afro-soul rhythm was released in September 2016. It was a foretaste of the new album that released in spring 2019. The EP as well as the album are produced by the Nigerian-British jazz singer and guitarist Femi Temowo.
« Our album was recorded between France, Switzerland, England, Poland and Slovenia. We are passionate artists and entrepreneurs with the desire to develop our career between Africa and Europe. For us, the homecoming is today, more crucial than ever. »
Gwen & Tiana’s songs have been disclosed to the publics of famous festivals such as the Cannes Film Festival in 2015, the Montreux Jazz Festival and the Verbier Festival in Switzerland in 2016, the Cully Jazz Festival in 2017 and at their French and African (Cameroon, Gabon, Ivory Coast) tours that same year. The duo, who entrusted the Cameroonian writer Jo Güstin with the lyrics of its songs, has committed itself to delivering resolutely optimistic songs that celebrate love, of self, of Africa and of life.
« Our goal is to create a music that is entertaining, simple, warm and most importantly, heart-warming. »
