Photographer James Petrozzello‘s gorgeous portraits capture the strong beauty of the FELA! dancers paying tribute to the original Fela Queens. “I have long been a fan of Fela Kuti – the musician, the political figure, the icon,” James told Okayafrica. “The first time I saw his ‘queens’ I was struck by their radical style. I wanted to make these photos to pay homage to their beauty and to bring attention to the women who contributed so much to Fela’s life.” (Portraits of the original queens can be found here.)
FELA! has just returned from a triumphant “homecoming” in Lagos, and has upcoming dates in Amsterdam, England and in select US cities including Philadelphia and Washington, D.C.
To see the entire series, click any image below.
Models: Rujeko Dumbutshena, Catherine Foster, Abena Koomson, Jill Vallery, Shaneeka Harrell, Shakira Marshall, Lauren De Veaux, Oneika Phillips, Hettie Barnhill, Iris Wilson, Aimee Graham Wodobode.
13 Comments
Beautifully done!
I FLASH BACK WEN I DEY WATCH FELA FROM EMPIRE OJUELEGBA 2 SHRINE IKEJA.OLD BOY I HEAR GBEDU NO BE SMALL.FELA 4 LIFE.
…..This for FELA original KING of AFROBEAT…………..Nothing is too much……………for baba Anikulakpo Kuti
All of the queens look absolutely beautiful, but my naijah sista Abena Koomson looks exceptionally breath taken.
Yeah yeah. nothing too small for baba.
this is off the hook, the concepts wow and the philosophy outstanding
Sweet. Very lovely images
These photographs are incredible. They pay just homage to amazing women.
These photos are breathtaking.
These pictures are just too much nd sexy.Baba seventy,may God bless d dead.
These women are stunning!!!!. ViVA Africa Fela Kuti Forever.
Photography is NiCE!
Stunning! Aren’t our women simply the most beautiful in the world?
I LOVE EM ALL COS DEY ARE SHOT 2 DIE 4
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[...] QUEENS: Kalakuta Queens, circa 2011. Photographer James Petrozello’s portraits of the dancers of “Fela!”, the [...]
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