Sierra Leone singer nominated in US Blues Blast Music Award

Sierra Leone singer, songwriter and guitarist, Bai Kamara Jr & The Voodoo Sniffers album Salone, which was released earlier this year has been nominated in the Best Acoustic Blues Album category at the Blues Blast Music Award ceremony to be held in September.

Nominated alongside Mark Telesca – Higher Vibrations, Libby Rae Watson & Bert Deivert – She Shimmy, Hudspeth & Taylor – Folie a deux, Catfish Keith – Catfish Crawl, Bob Margolin – This Guitar & Tonight. Kamara Jr is the only nominee from outside of North America across all categories of this year’s competition.

Recorded in collaboration with German label Moosicus/MIG Music and his international management agency Zig Zag World, Salone is dedicated to the artist’s country of birth (Sierra Leone). An international recognition of this magnitude marks a new stage in his career.

Kamara Jr revealed to eyesofalagosboy.com “We are really excited to be nominated by this prestigious Blues Awards. We had favourable reviews across Europe when Salone was released, but we never thought it would cross the Atlantic (US). As the only non- American to be nominated in this category, it is a huge honour for my team and I”.

The 15-track album was named ‘Album of the Month’ in February by the French-speaking Blues Radios Collective (CRB), Salone has enjoyed frequent airplay on radio shows in Europe, Australia, Canada and the USA. Kamara was invited to perform a live session for Rolling Stone Magazine’s ‘In My Room‘ video series in May during the lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 2019 Blues Blast Music Awards ceremonies were held at The Tebala Event Center in Rockford, Illinois last September with the participation of Blues music industry professionals, journalists, music critics, music venue managers, festival promoters, producers and musicians.

The Blues Blast Music Awards on its 13th edition is presented by the US based Blues Blast Magazine, the largest free weekly internet Blues magazine with subscribers located in more than 90 countries. Blues fans from all over the world vote to honour the Best in contemporary Blues music.

Originally from Sierra Leone, Bai Kamara Jr. grew up in the UK and has been living in Belgium for over 25 years. His style of music is a mix of soul, blues and Afro-rock combined with powerful vocals that are sobering and intimate.