African Breyani: a musical conversation between South Africa and Ghana

African Breyani, an album born from a cross-border musical collaboration between South African composer Dr Natalie Rungan and Ghanaian pianist Victor Dey Jr, marks a significant milestone in contemporary African music. The project, which blends elements of jazz, traditional rhythms, and lyrical storytelling, emerged from a long-held artistic vision and a deep cultural reflection. Recorded in both South Africa and Ghana, the album symbolizes a bridge between two nations and their respective musical heritages, offering a unique perspective on identity, tradition, and the unifying power of art. Rungan first encountered Dey Jr during the 2018 National Youth Jazz Festival in Makhanda, formerly known as Grahamstown. At the time, Dey Jr was performing with Marcus Wyatt, and the performance left a profound impression on Rungan. She described the experience as deeply resonant, noting how the music seemed to connect with something intrinsic within her. Despite this powerful initial encounter, the opportunity for collaboration remained unrealized for several years. Rungan attempted to reach out to Dey Jr following the festival, but no immediate connection was formed. Years later, in 2024, Dey Jr returned to South Africa with the GH Jazz Collective to perform at the National Youth Jazz Festival. During this visit, Rungan was leading the National Schools Jazz Band and had limited time for conversations. However, during a brief break between rehearsals, she brought up the memory of the 2018 performance and expressed her ongoing hope for a creative partnership. This moment proved pivotal, setting the stage for a renewed and more deliberate effort to collaborate. Determined to explore the possibility further, Rungan took initiative and reached out to Dey Jr once more. This time, the collaboration took shape, culminating in the creation of African Breyani. For Rungan, the album represents multiple breakthroughs, both personally and professionally. It is the first time she has worked with an African artist outside of South Africa, and the first time she has produced an international album of this scale. The recording process spanned both countries, drawing on diverse influences and techniques, and the final product reflects the richness of these combined efforts. The title African Breyani carries symbolic weight, rooted in Rungan’s personal reflections on identity and belonging. She composed the track in 2023, inspired by a scene from an Indian film that prompted introspection about the tension between her ethnic identity and her sense of home. She describes herself as Indian by heritage but African by birth, a duality that mirrors the complexity of the dish breyani itself. Made from a variety of spices, including the pungent elachi, breyani exemplifies how individual ingredients, often seemingly disparate or even challenging, can combine to create something extraordinary. This metaphor became central to the album's concept, representing the fusion of different musical traditions, histories, and perspectives. Growing up, Rungan was largely unfamiliar with the vast array of musical talent across Africa. Like many others, she internalized the notion that excellence in music lay primarily in European or American traditions. This mindset, she acknowledges, was shaped by colonial legacies that discouraged looking inward for inspiration. Reflecting on the album, she recognizes the broader implications of such historical conditioning, particularly how it influenced perceptions of African musical heritage. Through African Breyani, she seeks to challenge these assumptions and highlight the wealth of creativity that exists within the continent itself. Rungan’s collaboration with Dey Jr did not stem solely from his Ghanaian origin. Rather, it was driven by a mutual recognition of artistic values and a shared language that transcended borders. Their work together underscores the potential for meaningful exchange among African musicians, reinforcing the idea that collaboration can yield results greater than any individual contribution.