Senegalese Icon Baaba Maal Releases Music Video For “Freak Out”

In anticipation of his upcoming album Being—coming out on March 31—Baaba Maal has released a new track called “Freak Out” featuring The Very Best.

“Freak Out” will be the second track on Maal’s upcoming album. It is a vivid emblem of his musical expertise, and his ability to fuse both the past and present. On this song, Maal works with producer Johan Hugo, who fuses his electronic production with a uniquely modern African sound. The song unravels, and analyzes the world of social media, and how people navigate it. The record features Malawian singer Esau Mwamwaya, who is a part of The Very Best, a collaboration between London’s Radioclit and Mwamwaya. The Very Best has a sound that can be described as a fusion of an Afro-Western mix of dance, hip-hop, pop, and the traditional music of Malawi, and their sound flows seamlessly with Maal’s sonic exploration on “Freak Out.”

In a statement about the record, Baaba Maal delves into the message behind the song.

“It became a song about being careful what you put on the internet. It might seem funny or popular when you do it, but it might have consequences and you will have to live with those all your life. There are things you should keep to yourself,” said Maal. “Mystery is important in life; you don’t need to shine a light on every little thing you do. You don’t have to give away your soul for the sake of a little bit of attention.

Maal further explained that his song is calling attention to the idea that the internet should be a force for good.

“The internet should be used to make humanity feel good about themselves. It is so powerful, it can be dangerous and sometimes it just seems the internet has just caused a constant freak out,” Maal continued.