O’Sisters is a collective movement designed to empower women all over the world. Founded by French DJ and producer Missill, the new LP, Unity Is Power, out November 20th, crosses a multitude of genres and languages throughout, with each song having different stories and perspectives to tell. This blend of musical styles and languages produces an inclusive call for solidarity among women asserting that a multitude of styles, languages, cultures and backgrounds can come together to produce this sense of empowerment and positivity, and music is the key to that feeling of strength.
O’Sisters is described as a “women’s collective bringing together artists from around the world.” How did this group come together as a collective and bond over this common goal to empower and spread positivity through music?
First of all, thank you so much for your understanding. O’Sisters started in NYC with Jenny, Jordan, Ajada, Lena and many other sisters who were very excited to get together as ‘women with empowerment’ as our goal. We see this as a movement, and many other sisters/artists loved the project – we all were waiting for something like this. It made so much sense for us, no more competition, we decided to join powers instead. The result is beautiful in our eyes and hearts.
Congratulations on the upcoming release of your new LP, Unity Is Power. Could you describe to us what the main ideas behind this album were?
We live in a dual or polarised universe – hot vs cold, Yin and Yang, light vs darkness, male vs female, etc. The main idea is to search for balance, harmony – that’s why we wear black and white stripes. It’s an invitation for all our sisters in this world to join us to be stronger together.
Solidarity between women is so vital to the world that we live in, and I love that this message is growing and becoming central to many of the conversations we have about womanhood and feminism. How do you hope this album will add to that conversation?
Hopefully, it can help other sisters to know that they are not alone and that they can be one hundred per cent confident. They don’t have to accept to suffer, be mistreated or get locked in any possible way. We can achieve anything we want. We don’t have to accept nonsense no more. Sisters, we are with you! We love you!
That combination of dance, world music and elements of hip-hop and rock is ever present throughout the album. It really is a melting pot of many different musical genres. Did the group always intend to experiment with this many musical genres?
Very great analysis! Yes, we are all from different musical backgrounds, so each sister brings her own style, her own story, her own words; it make this adventure amazing and refreshing. The next album is going to be totally different, it’ll have other vibes. It’s a pleasure to have so much variety and endless possibilities and surprises. Thanks to all sisters who participate!
As well as musical genres, you also sing in many different languages throughout the album. That really cements the importance of the international dimension of the music, and it’s reaching wider audiences. How do you decide which languages you feature in a particular song?
Each track is by a different sister representing a different country, so each of us is like an ambassador; we’re messengers. The more of us, the more souls we can touch with our positive messages.
I love the urgency of the messages you are delivering in these songs – for example, in Worldwild you sing “We’re the freedom that we want,” that idea of clear and concise messaging and the repetition of it. It’s a powerful way to communicate, and I wonder if the music comes before the words themselves, or if music is built around these powerful statements?
The idea, the concept is always first; the message is the most important to us. We are the freedom that we want, spread the word worldwide! Especially right now. We hope this will make people react somehow.
One of my favourite moments on the album is Unity Is Power, where you are talking about how strength can be found in music, and unity between women isn’t portrayed enough in the media. I wonder if you could describe in more detail what those lines mean to you as a group?
We believe that this message of unity isn’t spread enough in the media. Our societies are about competition and fights, which separates us from one another. Is this so we can be controlled better? Are they scared that if we get together, we can hurt them? That we can be more powerful united? Who knows! But music is bigger than anything.
Music is a series of frequencies, and the universe is also a mix of energy, vibrations and frequencies, so music is the language of our core, our souls. It’s a cure for our doubts, pains, conflicts and fears. And this track, Unity Is Power, is the first we made. It has the flame from that magic day in NYC and the soul of O’Sisters. We are so happy it touched you as much as it touched us.
Music is a series of frequencies, and the universe is also a mix of energy, vibrations and frequencies, so music is the language of our core, our souls. It’s a cure for our doubts, pains, conflicts and fears. And this track, Unity Is Power, is the first we made. It has the flame from that magic day in NYC and the soul of O’Sisters. We are so happy it touched you as much as it touched us.
Determination plays such a massive role on this album too. It’s more than positivity and empowerment, it’s that these ideas make women more determined to express themselves and feel connected to one another. Can you give us some examples of women in music that inspire you today and why?
Yes, a few. For example, Vandana Shiva. She is defending our mother nature in the most honest way and she brings solutions with so much love. Also, Amma (Mata Amritanandamayi), she is just love as well. Such an inspiration of compassion, it’s impressive. To finish, Lucie Laurier, she’s another kind, but still a strong woman who quit her job to awake the people. There are so many, but we never talk about them, unfortunately. And determination is basic in our lives, otherwise, nothing would happen.
The pandemic has put live music on hold in so many places in the world right now, but when the time comes where we can come together again to listen to live music, what can audiences expect from an O’Sisters concert experience?
It’s a surprise. We are a big community now, so every gig will be unique since there will be different sisters performing in each show. But it will be a proper world wild trip and a huge moment of love and relief with vocals and instruments from different parts of our planet.
Now that you have finished this project, what is next for O’Sisters?
This project is on the ‘long run,’ so we will keep sharing our powerful messages through every language possible and we’ll continue to fight for the light and for our freedom together!
