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WorldBeat's Steven Wright visits with Les Nubians
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Monday, May 10, 1999 5:50:06 PM EST

PARIS (CNN) -- Sisters Helene and Celia Faussart were born in the Bordeaux region of France. Their father was French, their mother Cameroonian. They spent part of their childhood in the African country of Chad. And they returned to their French homeland as teenagers.

A little cultural confusion is pretty understandable.

But on the debut album of their ensemble, Les Nubians, they try to bridge some of the gulf between Paris and modern French Africa. "Princesses Nubiennes" comprises 15 songs driven by a fusion of musical genres -- from traditional African music to classic soul, rap, hip-hop and R&B.

The result is sound familiar and exuberant, a genre avidly followed by world music fans of Angelique Kidjo, Baaba Maal, Youssou N'Dour and Salif Keita.

The sisters say they want most to touch people on an emotional level through their music.

"To describe our music .... We can say that Nubians is a kind of soul music because we want to..." says Helene.

"...touch the soul," finishes Celia.

"Yeah, to touch the soul of people," Helene picks up the conversation again. "But it's mixed with different influences. I mean all the influences of black music, from the roots to the leaves of the tree. We mean by that African traditional music, such as jungle music."

The lead sisters of Les Nubians were inspired by hip-hop and R&B recording artists, including Wyclef Jean, Soul II Soul, jazz singer Abbey Lincoln and African singer Miriam Makeba. Their album is a tribute to the musical greats who influenced their music.

The sisters wrote and composed all the songs, recording the album in the United Kingdom and France with a core group of British and French musicians. Of the cuts on "Princesses Nubiennes," only "Sugar Cane" is in English. But the album nevertheless has moved into the top five on Billboard's Heatseekers chart.

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To call this duo unconventional would be to call Dennis Rodman merely colorful. And it's the sisters' shared opinion that their fellow French citizens aren't as open to new music as they might be.

"If you really look at it," says Helene, "it's the new music that's working in the other countries -- like electronic music, or maybe Nubians music. But maybe they (the French) aren't ready for that."

Fortunately, much of the rest of the world does seem ready. Les Nubians, like their compatriots Air and Daft Punk, have a growing following internationally.

For the sisters, language is no barrier. In fact, their take on African music infuses their work with an essential rhythm that transcends words.

"It's kind of a new breath for French music. (It's a different music from that of) these French singers with the chanson Français, with words and lyrics .... I think African music brings the rhythm. And the rhythm is something you can't live without," says Helene.

"When we're playing, we in fact are saying that the place is our home and we invite you in our home, in our atmosphere."

"And we communicate a lot," says Celia.

"...and we dance," adds Helene.