Live in Halle: Mo'Kalamity & The Wizards - SHINE

Mo'Kalamity

Of Cape Verdean origin, Mo’Kalamity grew up in France and now lives in Paris. Influenced by Caribbean and African-American rhythms, she quickly established herself in the reggae world through her talent as a singer, songwriter, and composer. A self-taught musician and exceptional artist, she formed her own band, The Wizards. The power of her voice rises over the rhythms of deep, roots reggae, conveying a strong and meaningful message. Through her spiritual lyrics, she encourages us to become aware of our life purpose and to fulfill our potential with humanity. She reminds us that only love enables us to move forward on this journey and reveal our deepest essence.
Her first two albums were self-produced with the Lassospikante label. The first, Warrior of Lights, was released in 2007. A great success, it was reissued the following year. Her second album, Deeper Revolution, was nominated three times at the Cabo Verde Awards in 2011.
Determined to renew her sources of inspiration, Mo’Kalamity set out to discover new horizons. She decided to embark on a journey that would ultimately lead to her fifth album.
With determination, she continued to pursue her artistic path and, in 2013, launched her own label, Sofia-Théa Records. She produced her third album, Freedom of the Soul, on the label, once again accompanied by her musicians, The Wizards.
Mo’ then flew to Kingston, where she met the legendary musical duo and producers Sly & Robbie. Their fruitful collaboration gave birth, in 2018, to the album Mo’Kalamity Meets Sly and Robbie – One Love Vibration. The album features arrangements by brilliant musicians including Robbie Lyn on keyboards, Dalton Browne and Mickey Chang on guitar, Dean Fraser on saxophone, Sly Dunbar on drums, and Robbie Shakespeare on bass. At the same time, Mo’Kalamity recorded Le Pouvoir, a collaboration with Tiken Jah Fakoly, and opened for the artist, notably at the Élysée Montmartre in Paris.
Since the beginning of her career, Mo’Kalamity and her musicians, The Wizards, have toured extensively throughout France, performing at venues and festivals such as No Logo, Reggae Sun Ska, La Maroquinerie, and Pan Piper, as well as internationally in Sweden, Germany, Spain, and Tunisia.
Unfortunately, in 2020, their tour was interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdowns that followed.
As a return to normality began to emerge, travelling and changing her surroundings became vital for Mo’, as she expresses in her single Gotta Get Away. After this period of confinement, she felt the need to renew her sources of inspiration by discovering new horizons. She therefore decided to embark on a journey that would put her on the road to her fifth album. She chose to stay in New York, a vibrant city and an unparalleled source of inspiration. There, she discovered a rich and thriving musical world with which she forged strong connections. The wealth of relationships she developed during this first stay would prove decisive for her musical future.
During this initial visit, she met reggae pioneers and seized the opportunity to record part of the album Shine at Mercy Sound Studio in Brooklyn with a group of talented musicians. She collaborated with Sidney Mills (Steel Pulse), Andy Bassford (Dennis Brown, Monty Alexander), Karl Wright (Monty Alexander), and Rupert McKenzie (Bushman, Eek-A-Mouse, Meta & the Cornerstone).
Her desire to collaborate once again with Sly Dunbar and Robbie Lyn (The Taxi Gang) never left her, prompting her to continue the adventure in Jamaica. She returned to meet the duo and reconnected with other icons of Jamaican music, including the legendary Flabba Holt, Earl “Chinna” Smith, and Kirk Bennett. Once again, at Anchor Studio in Kingston, she surrounded herself with some of Jamaica’s finest musicians and completed the recording of her fifth album, Shine.
Working with Sidney Mills as producer and sound engineer was a natural choice. Together, they completed the album’s production, recorded the lead vocals and backing vocals, and carried out the editing. Dennis Thompson, a sound engineer who has worked with Bob Marley, Buju Banton, and Alicia Keys, joined them to mix the album at Mercy Sound in New York City.
As with her previous albums, Mo’Kalamity allowed herself to be guided by her inner voice at every stage of the creative process. Yet with this latest album, she embarked on an extraordinary and almost magical creative journey, recording the album across three continents alongside mentors and pioneers of Jamaican and New York reggae.

Shine, her new and fifth album, is the fruit of her relentless quest for authenticity. For this album, Mo’Kalamity succeeded in surrounding herself with artists who not only played an essential role in the evolution of reggae, but whom she also deeply admired. Through their talent and creativity, these legends enriched her own musical universe. Shine embodies the vision and vibration that Mo’Kalamity shares with these artists, bringing the music to its fullest expression.