Sierra Leone has a rich history of musicians who have made world popular music and are known for their classics. Here is a list of the best artists in Sierra Leone that you must check out if you want to experience some rich local music.

Seydy

Seydu was born in a musical family where his grandfather taught him about drums. Ever since then, he was interested in pursuing a career in music. He has performed with the National Dance Troupe of Sierra Leone. Seydu later moved to Nigeria and then to Spain, where he recorded several tracks with Spanish Bands. After working with various bands, he worked on his own music that has the essence of Sierra Leone Gateway of Africa.

S. E. Rogie

S. E. Rogie was a palm wine guitarist and singer who was born in Sierra Leone. He started performing in the 1940s while working as a tailor. In the 1960s, Rogie moved completely to music and could sing in four languages. In 1965, Rogie formed a band called Morningstars that became popular around the world. He even received awards from the US Congress for his work.

Geraldo Pino

Geraldo Pino is one of the popular musicians in Africa known for his contributions during the 60s and 70s. He was a guitarist, singer, and bandleader from Sierra Leone. Geraldo created soul and funk music while he was also quite popular for Afrobeats. He left a huge impression on the upcoming generation of musicians and became an inspiration for those who wanted to invest in their own music.

Janka Nabay

Janka Nabay was a major influence in the music industry for creating Bubu Music. It is traditionally Temne music that consists of over 20 musicians blowing pipes of different music to jam together. He first earned attention at SuperSound and soon recorded his first album in Forensic Studios during the times of the Sierra Leonean Civil War. He was of Mandingo and Temne descent that is a part of Sierra Leone’s history.

Mariama

Mariama was born in Freetown, Sierra Leone, and is a popular singer and songwriter. She gets her sole inspiration to write music from her gratefulness to be born and alive. Music has always been a part of Mariama’s life. She started by joining the choir and musical groups when she was in school. She found her mother’s guitar as a kid and began learning it and writing songs alongside it.

Chosan

Chosan is a hip-hop artist who was born in Sierra Leone and was raised in London. Later he moved to America, where he released his first indie album, “The Beautiful Side of Misery.” His latest album was “Diamond In The Dirt,” which gained popularity around the world. Chosan has also worked with Kanye West on the video “Diamonds From Sierra Leone” that went platinum.

Sierra Leone is a beautiful country that has a dark history. However, the city is developing and becoming a popular place for tourists. Things are changing for Sierra Leone and for all good reasons. Before you plan a trip to this country, a bit of knowledge about the people and the place will help you in getting along with the locals well.

National symbol

The national symbol for the country is the Cotton Tree. It has a lot to do with the history of the country and its capital Freetown. When the African-American slaves landed on the shoreline, they walked up to this giant tree and made their first thanksgiving service to thank God for the free land. That is when the tree became their national symbol.

Locals love radios

Radios are still popular in Sierra. They enjoy listening to news and music on their radios. Over 85% of locals have access to radios, and over 70% of locals listen to radio on a daily basis. So if you want to offer them anything as a gift, you know what to carry with you.

The civil war

Sierra Leone suffered a ten-year-long civil war from 1991 to 2001. Over 50,000 people died during this time. Multiple countries were fighting to gain control over Sierra Leone. As a result, over two million people moved to neighboring countries during this time. In 2001, the UN forced the rebel soldiers to disarm and bring the war to an end.

Diamonds

Sierra Leone is famous for two things – mangoes and diamonds. The third-largest gem-quality diamond was found in the country in 1972. Sierra Leone is among the top ten diamond-producing countries in the world. This is also one of the reasons why the land has been in dispute for a long time.

The cassava plant

Cassava is used as a herb in almost all households in Sierra Leonean. It is used for making a green stew that also contains meat or fish. The roots of cassava are used for making bread. When you are in Sierra Leone, you must try out this special plant that takes a lot of work to prepare.

The parliament building

The parliament building of Sierra Leone was built by the Israeli government. The building overlooks the Freetown harbor and has a dome-like structure that looks amazing.

The history

In 1787, 400 former slaves were sent to Freetown to settle down. Although many of these settlers died, a few of them build the first-ever community. In 1792, the British once again sent 1,200 slaves from Canada to Sierra Leone. Freetown is home to the decendants of the early settlers and tribes, including Mende and Temne.

Sierra Leone is a beautiful country that has a dark history. However, the city is developing and becoming a popular place for tourists. Things are changing for Sierra Leone and for all good reasons. Before you plan a trip to this country, a bit of knowledge about the people and the place will help you in getting along with the locals well.

National symbol

The national symbol for the country is the Cotton Tree. It has a lot to do with the history of the country and its capital Freetown. When the African-American slaves landed on the shoreline, they walked up to this giant tree and made their first thanksgiving service to thank God for the free land. That is when the tree became their national symbol.

Locals love radios

Radios are still popular in Sierra. They enjoy listening to news and music on their radios. Over 85% of locals have access to radios, and over 70% of locals listen to radio on a daily basis. So if you want to offer them anything as a gift, you know what to carry with you.

The civil war

Sierra Leone suffered a ten-year-long civil war from 1991 to 2001. Over 50,000 people died during this time. Multiple countries were fighting to gain control over Sierra Leone. As a result, over two million people moved to neighboring countries during this time. In 2001, the UN forced the rebel soldiers to disarm and bring the war to an end.

Diamonds

Sierra Leone is famous for two things – mangoes and diamonds. The third-largest gem-quality diamond was found in the country in 1972. Sierra Leone is among the top ten diamond-producing countries in the world. This is also one of the reasons why the land has been in dispute for a long time.

The cassava plant

Cassava is used as a herb in almost all households in Sierra Leonean. It is used for making a green stew that also contains meat or fish. The roots of cassava are used for making bread. When you are in Sierra Leone, you must try out this special plant that takes a lot of work to prepare.

The parliament building

The parliament building of Sierra Leone was built by the Israeli government. The building overlooks the Freetown harbor and has a dome-like structure that looks amazing.

The history

In 1787, 400 former slaves were sent to Freetown to settle down. Although many of these settlers died, a few of them build the first-ever community. In 1792, the British once again sent 1,200 slaves from Canada to Sierra Leone. Freetown is home to the decendants of the early settlers and tribes, including Mende and Temne.

When you are in Sierra Leone’s capital, you need to do some things how they are meant to be done. That is how you will experience the best of Freetown. Plan your tour of Freetown with these tips so you make the most out of your vacation. Here are ten things you should learn about Freetown.

Arrive by sea

Freetown’s airport is located right across a sea estuary. Lungi International airport offers you to travel to Freetown by boat. It is a faster route to the city, covering a 17-mile on-road distance within an hour or even half. You also receive free Wi-Fi and a bottle of water on the boat while you enjoy listening to good music.

Learn about the seasons

Freetown receives heavy rainfall during August and can also cause flooding in many regions. December is also not a good time to visit the city due to the dust from the sands of the Sahara. January to March is an appropriate time to visit Freetown. However, be careful of the high temperatures that can reach up to 40 degrees Celcius.

Enjoy the mangoes

Summer is the time when you can enjoy mangoes in abundance. You can find a variety of mangoes sold individually or in heaps on the streets of Freetown. Learn about the different types of mangoes that you can try out. While some mangoes are meant for slicing up, others can be coaxed to such out the juice.

Learn Krio

While everyone in Freetown can speak English, it will be good if you can learn a bit of Krio before visiting. People will be pleased to know that you spent time learning Krio. Even if you can do the general greeting in Krio, you will have more welcoming smiles whenever you meet the locals.

Visit the Leicester Peak

Get the complete view of Freetown city from the top of Leicester Peak that stands 1800 feet above sea level. You can hike to the top and observe the city with red sheets capping the houses of the new constructions.

Enjoy rice

Enjoy a variety of rice recipes that complement almost all the dishes in Freetown. You may have an overwhelming experience of trying out different rice dishes. However, you cannot back until you have had enough. Most dishes have meat and fish in them since Freetown is located next to the sea.

Sundowners on the beach

Nothing is better than relaxing near the beach with a cold beer and some good music. Some fine restaurants and bars near the beaches can offer you quality time. Here you will also find some locally brewed lager that you can enjoy next to the beach. Bar 232 is a popular place to hang out for tourists.