Sammy has led an extraordinary life as a Madagascan musician, at a time when most picked up guitars over the traditional Valiha, Sammy followed his passion for Madagascar’s musical heritage, by mastering and learning how to make most of Madagascar’s instruments.

His efforts coming to the notice of the UK’s world music scene as his group ‘Tarika Sammy’, gained international recognition, becoming a regular on major festival stages and being acknowledged as one of the world’s best 10 bands, by TIME Magazine. Sammy has been much in demand since, and we are proud to have him at every Small Island Big Song concert.

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Photo: Kimmi Cranes

Featured on CNN, songwriter, musician and dancer, Emlyn is leading a wave of performers across the Indian Ocean proudly reclaiming their unique rhythms and cultural mix.

Written with a reactive pen and sung in Creole, her songs rebelliously express her concerns for her island’s environment. A cause she has taken up as co-founder of ‘Enn Losean Vivab’, a Mauritius based organisation educating school students about plastic pollution.

Emlyn brings the infectious grooves of Sega with its soul from the African slave trade to the stage played on the Ravann, Triangle and Kayamb.

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Photo: Kimmi Cranes

Powerful, entrancing, unapologetic all words used to describe Putad’s engaging stage presence. In the proud spirit of her Indigenous Amis heritage Putad unites ancient vocal traditions with raw energy of grunge, rock and punk as her and her brother Wusang’s band Outlet Drift express. Their bold, uplifting and uncompromising shows place their Amis heritage on centre stage at 100db & 100mph as they confront prejudices taking the audience on an unforgettable sonic ride.

In the Small Island Big Song ensemble, she brings this energy, her soaring voice, rock bass along with her coastal Amis ancestry and love for the ocean. A regular surfer, Putad’s connection to the ocean will be brought onto stage and into the outreach program.

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Photo: Kimmi Cranes

Selina is among the global faces of climate change, representing her country in the film ‘Before the Flood’ produced by Leonardo DiCaprio and as the youngest speaker at the COP21 for Paris Agreement, making a passionate plea to global leaders for stronger action on climate change.

Selina can push her audience into a place of understanding and care for her homeland, whilst making them look into the future and see the repercussions of current global actions. Her spoken word pieces have been heard across the globe, and will form the narrative of the show, at times delivered by Selina in person.

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Photo: Kimmi Cranes

Selina Leem
Marshallese, Marshall Islands

In 2009 a typhoon devastated Sauljaljui’s village and community, her response was to write “Lament of Colored Cloth” a song which enabled the village to unite their tragedy and recover, winning a prestigious songwriters award in Taiwan.

Two albums and countless international concerts later, Sauljaljui is just as dedicated to her Paiwan community, directing a yearly cultural festival, being the first female leader in her community youth group, and contributing to the community's cultural canon. Recently with her elders, she created a Paiwan warriors song, now regularly performed, the first time a woman has taken this role.

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Photo: Kimmi Cranes

From Amazon Bay on the south coast of Papua New Guinea, singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, Richard Mogu has been a feature musician in PNG for many years as a solo artist and session musician.  Excelling in both traditional and contemporary style. ​ Whilst bass is his feature instrument, he is also adept at mambu (bamboo flutes), garamut drumming, guitars and percussion.

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He was taught by legendary Sanguma founder Tony Subam. Mogu has also been involved as a producer of other PNG artists and toured internationally inc' London Olympic cultural festival, Australia and the USA.

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Photo: Kimmi Cranes

Zenadh Kes/Torres Strait, Australia