Mi Mandela

Album: Mi Mandela (2014)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This is the title track of Mi Mandela, an 11-song record inspired by Idris Elba's experience playing the South African anti-Apartheid leader Nelson Mandela in Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom.‎The actor has also released music under the name Dris as well as directing and appearing in the video for Mumford & Sons' "Lover of the Light."
  • The album celebrates South African music and also pays homage to the actor's late father, Winston Elba, as well as Nelson Mandela. "South Africa has numerous different tribes and each one has a musical expression, and each one has a very unique, different sound style," said Elba. "At the time I had my studio at the apartment I was staying in while I was making Mandela - a little keyboard, a laptop - and as an experiment to myself, I vowed to keep making music."
  • The song is a half-sung account of Elba recording a video message for the real Mandela during the filming of his biopic - only for the South African leader to have no idea who he was when he watched the clip.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

The 10 Bands Most Like Spinal Tap

The 10 Bands Most Like Spinal TapSong Writing

Based on criteria like girlfriend tension, stage mishaps and drummer turnover, these are the 10 bands most like Spinal Tap.

70s Music Quiz 1

70s Music Quiz 1Music Quiz

The '70s gave us Muppets, disco and Van Halen, all which show up in this groovy quiz.

Charlotte Caffey of The Go-Go's

Charlotte Caffey of The Go-Go'sSongwriter Interviews

Charlotte was established in the LA punk scene when a freaky girl named Belinda approached her wearing a garbage bag.

Julian Lennon

Julian LennonSongwriter Interviews

Julian tells the stories behind his hits "Valotte" and "Too Late for Goodbyes," and fills us in on his many non-musical pursuits. Also: what MTV meant to his career.

Michael Sweet of Stryper

Michael Sweet of StryperSongwriter Interviews

Find out how God and glam metal go together from the Stryper frontman.

Hardy

HardySongwriter Interviews

The country hitmaker talks about his debut album, A Rock, and how a nursery rhyme inspired his hit single "One Beer."