Mavis Staples
- Main StageSaturday 8•July•2023
20:15•21:15TICKETS FROM 55 EUROS
Over ten years after her memorable performance at Gent Jazz 2011, legendary gospel and blues singer Mavis Staples is making her return to De Bijloke. With good reason, as Staples is touring to showcase her latest album 'We Get By’, a collection of musically sparse songs that revolve around topics such as hope, love, faith and joy. For this album, she worked together with Ben Harper, a purebred musician in whom she found a kindred - albeit slightly younger - spirit. New songs such as 'Change’ and 'Stronger’ effortlessly measure up against classics such as 'I’ll Take You There’ and 'You Are Not Alone’. This combination of old and new definitely makes for a set list combination to look forward to.
As a member of the legendary Staples Singers, Mavis Staples made her mark on (American) musical history from an early age on. Throughout her seventy-year (!) career, she worked with legends like Bob Dylan and Prince, through the likes of Arcade Fire, Hozier and Bon Iver she connected with other generations and won just about every single award going, the high point being a Lifetime Achievement Grammy. Alongside her musical career, Staples has been consistently highly politically engaged: she protested alongside Martin Luther King Jr, performed at the inauguration of JFK and was invited by Barack Obama to sing at the White House. Her authentic message of connection and hope is certain to tug at the heart strings. A true inspiration, that is clear.
