GeminiCrab - A Love That Will Last (Single)
Montreal-based and Guadeloupean singer-songwriter Malika Tirolien releases her new single ‘A Love That Will Last’.
The first taste of her new collaborative venture with keyboardist and producer Caulder Nash who together have formed a new duo as GeminiCrab.
Evoking the sounds of 90s R&B, Philadelphia soul and the quiet storm tradition, ‘A Love That Will Last’ is a thundering and stadium-sounding ballad with lushly arranged chords about taking responsibility for a relationship that has turned sour and allowing yourself the grace and acceptance to venture on new romantic endeavors. The track was helmed by Tirolien and Jean-Michel Frédéric with additional production from Nash.
Speaking on the track’s inspiration, Malika said: “Sometimes, the chemistry is powerful but the timing is off. Sometimes, past wounds spoil what could have been great. But fortunately, owning your mistakes and working on your healing are what you need to make space for the next partner. ‘A Love That Will Last’ is about that, recognizing what past relationships taught you so you can evolve and meet someone new."
‘A Love That Will Last’ marks Tirolien’s first dose of original music since the 2023 release of ‘History’, the two-time GRAMMY-nominated third studio album by Bokanté, the supergroup she’s recorded and performed with as their lead vocalist since 2015.
Founded by Michael League, the bandleader of GRAMMY-award winning jazz fusion collective, Snarky Puppy, Bokanté is a multilingual and multi-generational eight-piece ensemble that has been praised for their sprawling output which spans West African music, delta blues, hard rock and Caribbean-infused textures.
Their live showings at renowned festivals and venues such as WOMAD, North Sea Jazz Festival, Ronnie Scotts, Union Chapel, Factory International and The Jazz Cafe have helped establish the outfit as touring staples earning them critical praise from The Guardian, The Telegraph, Jazzwise and The Arts Desk.
In addition to Tirolien’s extensive history with Bokanté, she is also an accomplished solo artist who’s collaborated with the likes of Jacob Collier and Snarky Puppy. ‘Sur La Voie Ensoleillée’, her debut solo album was released in 2014 and reached the Top 5 of Canada’s official R&B chart. After a 7 year absence from releasing her own music, Malika would follow it up with 2021’s ‘HIGHER’ which was praised by critics for its unique and innovative approach to soul, jazz and Hip-Hop, earning comparisons to Lauryn Hill and spawned standout tracks ‘GROW’ and ‘CHANGE YOUR LIFE’.
Ever the musical chameleon and one who revels in cultural exchange through art and song, Malika Tirolien is once again expanding her palette with GeminiCrab, the new duo she’s formed with Caulder Nash. The duo met years ago through Montreal's Kalmunity Vibe Collective and decided to start a band together after a residency at the PHI Foundation for Contemporary Art that had them create songs with binaural audio technology.
‘A Love That Will Last’ is the first taste of their upcoming EP ‘Gen Y Lens’ set for release in November. To coincide with the release, GeminiCrab will be embarking on a European tour which will see them visit France, Germany, Poland and London where they’ll be headlining PizzaExpress Holborn in addition to a one-off date in Morocco.
Outside of music, Tirolien is a children’s book author, releasing her first book ‘NTangu’ earlier this year. A creative path that was bound to happen given her heritage as the granddaughter of the acclaimed Guadeloupean poet Guy Tirolien, a trailblazer in French-Caribbean literature.