J.P. Bimeni is the Burundian-born, London based singer with a voice laced with pain, yearning and soul.
A royal refugee turned soul survivor from the country voted the world’s least happy place to live.
On his debut album Free Me, Burundian-born JP Bimeni astonishes with a voice that recalls Otis Redding in his prime whilst resonating with the soul of Africa. A refugee who’s been living in London since the early 2000s, Bimeni sings songs of love and loss, hope and fear, with a conviction that comes from the extraordinary experiences life has thrown at him. A descendant of the Burundian royal family, Bimeni fled Burundi aged 15 during the 1993 civil war. Following three attempts on his life, he was given refugee status and fled to the UK where he’s remained ever since.
With it’s classic 60s-sounding Motown and Stax-inspired grooves the album was written by Eduardo Martínez and songwriter Marc Ibarz and Bimeni imbues these tales of love and loss with his tragic experiences making ‘Free Me’ a deep soul soundtrack to his pained life: “When I sing I feel like I’m cleansing myself: music is a way for me to forget”. On “Free Me” tough funk jams segue into deep southern soul and heart-felt ballads, with a unique vibe present throughout this modern funk-soul masterpiece thanks to Bimeni’s uplifting African ‘soul’ and style of singing.
Tracklist
A1. Honesty is a Luxury
A2. Same Man
A3. Don't Fade Away
A4. Stupid
A5. Pain Is The Name Of Your Game
A6. Bangarang
B1. Better Place
B2. Madelaine
B3. I Miss You
B4. Free Me
B5. Moonset
