“Away Away” by Ibeyi

The cover for Ibeyi’s second album, “Ash,” which includes the track “Away Away”

In “Away Away,” Ibeyi calls for hope in a world that can often feel like it’s on the brink of collapse. The French-Cuban sisters, Naomi and Lisa-Kaindé Díaz, open the song by singing the title phrase with a joyful vigor. The 24-year-old twins then pose a question:

Time is running

Though I’m young

Through my window

I see the day falling

Will the promise be held?

Their lyrics are likely to speak to youth who are coming of age at a time when climate change is threatening the planet, and the World Wildlife Fund estimates that 10,000 species are going extinct every year. Yet they are also relevant to anyone facing uncertainty about the future – including serious illness, a transition into hospice, or the loss of a loved one.

The song then moves into a sense of hope – and acceptance.

I don’t give up

I don’t give up, baby

I feel the pain, feel the pain

But I’m alive, I’m alive

Why should I be racing

Why should I be racing

My fate of flames, my fate of flames?

Ibeyi celebrates the fact that they’re alive, and have the opportunity to contribute something positive to the world. As the duo told the British monthly magazine i-D, “This song is about a woman who looks outside a window and sees the world spinning wrong; falling apart. At first she’s just witnessing it and being really passive, but suddenly she realizes she wants to do something about it. It’s about how a tiny spark can change things.”

Acceptance Allows for Future Growth 

While Ibeyi acknowledges that pain is present, they are also determined to embrace the future – whatever it might bring. The reference to flames suggests that while this can mean difficulty or even destruction, there’s no reason to attempt to avoid one’s fate.

The piece closes with a Yoruba song for the God of the volcano, because, as Naomi and Lisa-Kaindé told i-D, “in Yoruba mythology, when the volcano erupts, the earth can be fertilized and start again.” This suggests that despite the way things fall apart, there is always the potential for something new to flourish.

“Away Away,” which appears on the twins’ second album, “Ash,” is characteristic of Ibeyi’s soulful approach to life and death. The duo’s debut album – self-titled “Ibeyi” – memorialized the loss of their father, Angá Díaz, and older sister, Yanira. This latest endeavor – particularly, “Away Away” – brings a greater sense of hope to those earlier contemplations on family, love and loss.

You can watch Ibeyi’s official music video for “Away Away” below.