In June 2001, a young Capeverdean singer, hardly 16 years old, completely unknown until then, won a gold medal at the Plays of Francophonie singing contest in Ottawa Hull in Canada among 35 competitors from around world. Mayra Curado Andrade obtained the first Gold medal for her country during an international singing competition.
This event was huge for Cape Verde , since music is one of the principal exported wealth for this small archipelago of ten islands lost in the Atlantic Ocean 500 kilometers of the coasts of Senegal . The young Mayra, who is today the figurehead of the rising generation of singers of her country, was born in Cuba from Capeverdean parents. Mayra lived in Senegal, in Angola, then in Germany.
At 13 years old, she was already noticed for her voice and her personality. She was selected to sing in Belgium during a conference dedicated to Dalaï LAMA' students. After her victory at the Francophonie in Canada, Mayra did not stop performing. She toured Cape Verde, in particular at Praia and Mindelo.
Then, in the mythical room the "Coliseu Dos Recreios" in Lisbon , she sang alongside Bau, former instrumentalist of Césaria Evora. It is in July 2002 that Mayra is invited for the very first time in France, to the Festival of Jazz of "Rendezvous de l'Erdre". On stage, at the sides of two great ladies of the international jazz, the New-Yorker Sheila Jordan and Armenian Datévik Hovanessian, Mayra obtained an enormous success.
She enchanted the Congress of the City of Nantes during the opening of the 24th International Festival of film of the three continents while singing "a Cappella". Then, it was at the "Festival de la Harpe" that Mayra was the headline for the first time. The invitations began to follow: at the Africajarc Festival, she performed beside Joe Zawinul, Ismael Lo, and Angélique Kidjo. She opened for Césaria Evora at New Morning in Paris, for Enrico Macias in the "Festopale" at Etaples and for the Cuban Ernesto Titos Puentes at the time of the "Festival of Jazz" of Valves.
Mayra imposes consequently her own style. She is astonishingly at ease with Morna, Funana, Coladera, and Batuque while adding a bit of jazz. Her personality and her talent bring a true new breath to the music of the islands of Cape Verde, heir of a mixture of rhythms of Africa, the Old man-Continent.
Tan Kalakatan
Mayra Andrade Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Bu disdangom, bu apokam
Bu spádja bu baka kaka
Bu disdangom, bu apokam
Kantu n txiga kasa
Nkon nkon nkon nkon nkon nkon
Nada n ka atxa
Só xá ku isensu
Panéla tan kalakatan, kalakatan, kalakatan
Kantu n txiga kasa
Nkon nkon nkon nkon nkon nkon
Nada n ka atxa
Só xá ku isensu
Litratu ku viola
Panéla
Bem, ma bem, ko bai nau iau
Kel tórtu ki n fasi, n ta txapa fepu
Ta fika bunitu sima nu staba ta fika bem
Bem, ma bem, ko bai nau iau
Kel tórtu ki n fasi, n ta txapa fepu
Ta fika bunitu sima nu staba ta fika bem
Bu spádja bu baka kaka
Bu disdangom, bu apokam
Kantu n txiga kasa
Nkon nkon nkon nkon nkon nkon
Nada n ka atxa
Só xá ku isensu
Litratu ku gatu
Panéla tan kalakatan, kalakatan, kalakatan
Bem, ma bem, ko bai nau iau
Kel tórtu ki n fasi, n ta txapa fepu
Ta fika bunitu sima nu staba ta fika bem
The Cape Verdean singer Mayra Andrade's song, "Tan Kalakatan", interweaves Creole and Portuguese languages in its lyrics, along with brisk percussions and a soulful melody that calls for freedom and celebration. The song starts with "Bu spádja bu baka kaka Bu disdangom, bu apokam" which translates to "Take off your shoes, leave them behind, take off your hat, leave it too." The lines create a sense of liberation and invite the listener to shed the complications of life and fully embrace the freedom of the present moment.
In the following verses, Mayra describes a gathering of people who have come together, either to dance or to visit someone ("Kantu n txiga kasa"), with the repeated refrain "Panéla tan kalakatan" meaning "pan with sound" in Creole. The line can be interpreted as a reference to the sounds created by the dancers or the percussionists, creating a joyful and uproarious atmosphere. The song continues with Mayra's vocals becoming more intense, inviting the listener to dance and enjoy the moment while the percussion section keeps rhythm with the repeated phrase "Nkon nkon nkon nkon nkon nkon."
"Tan Kalakatan" celebrates the joy and excitement of being alive, of being present, and of expressing oneself. Mayra Andrade's emotive voice captures the spirit of the song, and the energetic beats lift the listener's spirit. Overall, the song is a call to celebrate and live freely, unhindered by societal norms and expectations.
Line by Line Meaning
Bu spádja bu baka kaka
I am feeling low and sad
Bu disdangom, bu apokam
I am not myself
Kantu n txiga kasa
I am searching for a home
Nkon nkon nkon nkon nkon nkon
Step by step
Nada n ka atxa
I find nothing
Só xá ku isensu
Just feelings
Litratu ku gatu
A photo with a cat
Panéla tan kalakatan, kalakatan, kalakatan
A panel full of emptiness
Litratu ku viola
A photo with a viola
Panéla
An empty panel
Bem, ma bem, ko bai nau iau
Well, well, where am I going?
Kel tórtu ki n fasi, n ta txapa fepu
The cake I'm making is falling apart, I need to start over
Ta fika bunitu sima nu staba ta fika bem
It looks beautiful, just like I wanted it to be
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Carlos Alberto Souza Mendes
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@COLORSxSTUDIOS
Lyrics
Tan Kalakatan
Bu spadja
Bu bá ká Kaká
Bu disdangu-n
Bu apoka-n
Kantu N txiga kaza
N kon kon kon kon kon kon
Nada N ka atxa
Só xá ku insensu
Litratu ku gatu / viola
Panela tan kalakatan kalakatan
Kalakatan kalakatan
Ben, ma ben, kô bai nau ia
Kel tortu ki N fazi, N ta txapu fépu,
Ta fi ka bunitu sima nu staba, ta fi ka ben
Tan Kalakatan (Empty)
You up and left
You went to Kaká’s
You treated me with disdain
And diminished me
When I got home
I knocked and knocked and knocked
But there was nothing in the house
Just tea and incense
A portrait and the cat / my guitar
And an empty pan
Come, but come and don’t go
I’ll fix what I did wrong and make it beautiful
Just like it was before, everything will be alright
@deoww7513
I tried to translate it... Enjoy
You left, you went to Kaka
Despised me, diminished me
You left, you went to Kaka
Despised me, diminished me
When I got home
I hit, and hit, and hit
But I found nothing
Only tea and incense
A portrait and the cat
And the empty, empty, empty pan
When I got home
I hit, and hit, and hit
But I found nothing
Only tea and incense
A portrait and my guitar
And the pan
Come, but this time come to stay
I'll fix everything I did wrong
Everything will be beautiful as it was before, everything will be fine
Come, but this time come to stay
I'll fix everything I did wrong
Everything will be beautiful as it was before, everything will be fine
You left, you went to Kaka
Despised me, diminished me
When I got home
I hit, and hit, and hit
But I found nothing
Only tea and incense
A portrait and the cat
And the empty, empty, empty pan
Come, but this time come to stay
I'll fix everything I did wrong
Everything will be beautiful as it was before, everything will be fine
@ASGGBarros
Chechu Jmnz as I capeverdean myself and someone who has lived and speaks both Portuguese, Spanish and Creol, I can tell you that yes, if we speak slow you might be able to understand some things. Creol from Cape Verde is a mix of Portuguese + other African languages (unfortunately we don't know which but surely Creol from Guiné Bissau).
Taking into account the proximity between Portuguese and Spanish it is normal that you understand Creol from Cape Verde.
The same way even tough I do not speak Italian, I can understand some things and even read. All this due to the proximity to the languages I speak (Roman languages I believe they are called?).
We recently discovered that we have some similarities with Creol from Corazon island that has no Portuguese influence whatsoever and we can understand some things, now imagine Spanish and Portuguese!
Hope this is an inspiration for you to go and try to learn it 🙃
@MakiahRoam
ENGLISH
You up and left
You went to Kaká’s
You treated me with disdain
And diminished me
When I got home
I knocked and knocked and knocked
But there was nothing in the house
Just tea and incense
A portrait and the cat
And an empty pan
When I got home
I knocked and knocked and knocked
But there was nothing in the house
Just tea and incense
A portrait and my guitar
And an empty pan
Come, but come and don’t go
I’ll fix what I did wrong and make it beautiful
Just like it was before, everything will be alright
@deoww7513
You left, you went to Kaka
Despised me, diminished me
You left, you went to Kaka
Despised me, diminished me
When I got home
I hit, and hit, and hit
But I found nothing
Only tea and incense
A portrait and the cat
And the empty, empty, empty pan
When I got home
I hit, and hit, and hit
But I found nothing
Only tea and incense
A portrait and my guitar
And the pan
Come, but this time come to stay
I'll fix everything I did wrong
Everything will be beautiful as it was before, everything will be fine
Come, but this time come to stay
I'll fix everything I did wrong
Everything will be beautiful as it was before, everything will be fine
You left, you went to Kaka
Despised me, diminished me
When I got home
I hit, and hit, and hit
But I found nothing
Only tea and incense
A portrait and the cat
And the empty, empty, empty pan
Come, but this time come to stay
I'll fix everything I did wrong
Everything will be beautiful as it was before, everything will be fine
@deoww7513
Hala at me any time you wish to translate African languages. This one goes like this:
You left, you went to Kaka
Despised me, diminished me
You left, you went to Kaka
Despised me, diminished me
When I got home
I hit, and hit, and hit
But I found nothing
Only tea and incense
A portrait and the cat
And the empty, empty, empty pan
When I got home
I hit, and hit, and hit
But I found nothing
Only tea and incense
A portrait and my guitar
And the pan
Come, but this time come to stay
I'll fix everything I did wrong
Everything will be beautiful as it was before, everything will be fine
Come, but this time come to stay
I'll fix everything I did wrong
Everything will be beautiful as it was before, everything will be fine
You left, you went to Kaka
Despised me, diminished me
When I got home
I hit, and hit, and hit
But I found nothing
Only tea and incense
A portrait and the cat
And the empty, empty, empty pan
Come, but this time come to stay
I'll fix everything I did wrong
Everything will be beautiful as it was before, everything will be fine
@lacapitaleon1332
Empty
You up and left
You went to Kaká’s
You treated me with disdain
And diminished me
When I got home
I knocked and knocked and knocked
But there was nothing in the house
Just tea and incense
A portrait and the cat
And an empty pan
When I got home
I knocked and knocked and knocked
But there was nothing in the house
Just tea and incense
A portrait and my guitar
And an empty pan
Come, but come and don’t go
I’ll fix what I did wrong and make it beautiful
Just like it was before, everything will be alright
@JC-fp5sq
Tu foste embora, foste para o Kaká
Me desprezou, me diminuiu
Tu foste embora, foste para o Kaká
Me desprezou, me diminuiu
Quando eu cheguei em casa
Eu bati, e bati, e bati
Mas não achei nada
Só chá e incenso
Um retrato e o gato
E a panela vazia, vazia, vazia
Quando eu cheguei em casa
Eu bati, e bati, e bati
Mas não achei nada
Só chá e incenso
Um retrato e a minha guitarra
E a panela
Vem, mas dessa vez vem pra ficar
Vou consertar tudo o que fiz de errado
Vai ser tudo bonito como era antes, vai ficar tudo bem
Vem, mas dessa vez vem pra ficar
Vou consertar tudo o que fiz de errado
Vai ser tudo bonito como era antes, vai ficar tudo bem
Tu foste embora, foste para o Kaká
Me desprezou, me diminuiu
Quando eu cheguei em casa
Eu bati, e bati, e bati
Mas não achei nada
Só chá e incenso
Um retrato e o gato
E a panela vazia, vazia, vazia
Vem, mas dessa vez vem pra ficar
Vou consertar tudo o que fiz de errado
Vai ser tudo bonito como era antes, vai ficar tudo bem
@COLORSxSTUDIOS
Lyrics
Tan Kalakatan
Bu spadja
Bu bá ká Kaká
Bu disdangu-n
Bu apoka-n
Kantu N txiga kaza
N kon kon kon kon kon kon
Nada N ka atxa
Só xá ku insensu
Litratu ku gatu / viola
Panela tan kalakatan kalakatan
Kalakatan kalakatan
Ben, ma ben, kô bai nau ia
Kel tortu ki N fazi, N ta txapu fépu,
Ta fi ka bunitu sima nu staba, ta fi ka ben
Tan Kalakatan (Empty)
You up and left
You went to Kaká’s
You treated me with disdain
And diminished me
When I got home
I knocked and knocked and knocked
But there was nothing in the house
Just tea and incense
A portrait and the cat / my guitar
And an empty pan
Come, but come and don’t go
I’ll fix what I did wrong and make it beautiful
Just like it was before, everything will be alright
@funkymusic5749
🍃🌹🍃COLORS GeNiouS voCaLs🎵🎶🎵 🎵🎤😴Pure G💲LD💖🍃🌹🍃
@xolisamax7227
Posted this on my Instagram, hope it doesn't violate copyrights 🙈
@funkymusic5749
Kosmo NavtLook👓DowN 👇👍
@sifiso_frequencyfreak1495
She has to come back again no doubt
@atime3310
Thank you
@kemj7779
Anyone else want a Colors music festival/ concert?
@macyvicar9531
That be cool
@femmeNikita27
With her and Blood Orange? Oh, yes!!!
@nhazz973
Word!!!