Nani Vazana (IL/CZ/BR)

Nani Vazana puts her powerful voice and irresistible stage presence at the service of the Ladino language, which is in danger of extinction. The singer's songs are fundamentally shaped by her multi-ethnic family background; she learned Ladino, the first of the millennial songwriters to use it, in secret from her Moroccan grandmother. The lyrics of her new album, Ke haber, capture the spirit of this ancient language, passed down mainly among women in the family, and point the way to the future through current social issues such as migration, gender and women's empowerment. The sounds of the album transport the listener into a colourful-smelling market whirlwind, blending raw vocals rooted in flamenco, soft trombone solos, mariachi guitar, percussion and piano. Nani's music was documented for the Library of Congress.