Transcendental Songs to Get You Through (as told by Djali)

In Issue 02, we interviewed activist, yogi and DJ Djali Brown-Cepeda. She welcomed us into her New York home to talk about places, spaces and how they shape us. For Djali, music holds the capacity to connect and transport us. Listen to the dope playlist of otherworldly tunes she created below. 

Images by Gemma Mary Shepherd

When asked about music that takes her to another place, Djali exclaims: "I’m not exaggerating when I say I have over 8,000 songs on my iTunes. Everything Fela Kuti takes me on a trip through the underground spiritual game. I also love early Baaba Maal, particularly the song Yela. I also like a lot of East African music from the ‘60s. My taste is really global and I feel that every time I listen to music from the continent and the Diaspora, it connects me to my extended family all over the world. We may not all speak the same language, but we share deep spiritual connections to one another.”

For Roundtable, Djali curated a selection of songs that take her to another place. With songs from postcolonial Nigeria to contemporary Brasil, the phenomenal playlist is titled "Take the A". Listen to it below. 

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Take the A

Gentleman, Fela Kuti

Bouyel, Baaba Maal

Oxgam, Miriam Makeba

Rosemary's Baby, Fania

Odara, Caetano Veloso

Vamos Fugir, Gilberto Gil

Love Djali's playlist? Order a copy of issue 02 here for the full interview and photoshoot.