Although I studied the language in high school and college, the only thing I know well in French is kissing. So when it comes to songs in French, sadly the majority of what is sung is lost on me. But there are those rare occasions where no translation is necessary when a song originally sung in English is remade, and I'm able to enjoy it thanks to my familiarity with it in spite of a language barrier. That's the feeling I get when listening to Los Angeles based, French-Moroccan singer Ilhame (pronounced ee-lum) with her spin on Bob Marley's classic "Waiting In Vain" on "Still Waiting." Having grown up on Bob's song, I know it through and through, and although Ilhame sings the lyrics in French, I can still appreciate her rendition as I sway to the beat. It also helps that she has Ky-Mani Marley to assist her on the track with some authentic Marley and Jamaican flavor (that I can definitely understand). "Still Waiting" is the first single from Ilhame's debut album, Just Wish It, which will be dropping this summer with additional collaborations with Nicolay, Shafiq Husayn, T3 and Rapper Big Pooh. The video for "Still Waiting" serves as a visual introduction to Ilhame who gets the most facetime, with a snippet of Ky-Mani recording his portion of the song in the studio. Whether you know French or not, this remade Bob Marley groove is universal.
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