Winston McAnuff and his daughter Nadia pay tribute to Thomas Sankara with United Souls
It all started in January 2018, when my graphic designer friend, Christine Guais, was invited to Jamaica by Christiane Prince, a drummer friend who had accompanied Winston McAnuff, a living Jamaican reggae legend, on a European tour. Christine informed me of this trip and offered me an unexpected opportunity: to give United Souls t-shirts to the legendary Winston.
A few months earlier, at the Reggae Sun Ska festival near Bordeaux, Thomas DN, a friend with backstage access, had given McAnuff a United Souls tote bag featuring a portrait of Thomas Sankara, a creation by artist Joy Hanoun. To our surprise, Winston wore it around his neck during the sacred incantations onstage at the festival's opening, a ritual moment in the reggae community. This meaningful gesture touched us deeply.
Before she left for Jamaica, I gave Christine a few United Souls T-shirts, including designs featuring Fela Kuti, Nina Simone, and, of course, Thomas Sankara. At that time, our collection still contained few iconic figures from the struggles. Christine, a photography enthusiast and talented graphic designer for Parisian brands like Christie's, Vuitton, and Paco Rabanne, brought her camera with the promise of capturing a few moments during her stay with the McAnuffs.
Upon his arrival, Christine presented Winston with the t-shirts as a welcome gift. McAnuff, immediately touched, recognized the Sankara creation by United Souls. Taking advantage of Christine's presence and photography skills, he asked her for a series of photos of him and his daughter Nadia, who had come to visit him. This photo session quickly became a precious opportunity to immortalize a bond between father and daughter. The moving and sincere images were shared on social media and accompanied the McAnuff & Fixi duo's tour.
In 2012, Winston McAnuff and Fixi had already sealed their musical partnership with the album A New Day , a vibrant blend of reggae, maloya, afrobeat and soul. This album made history in France, with Winston becoming the first Jamaican artist nominated for the Victoires de la Musique. The success of *A New Day* took them around the world, with more than 250 concerts, from the Trianon in Paris to Berlin, Cardiff, and Reunion Island. In May 2018, they returned with a second album, Big Brothers , a new explosion of energy and creativity.
Throughout this tour, Winston McAnuff wore our t-shirts on stage several times. This genuine and spontaneous support deeply touched United Souls. We will never forget it.
In September 2024, Christine called me with some incredible news: Winston McAnuff was planning a musical collaboration with his daughter Nadia, and the Musical Impact label was looking for father-daughter photos to illustrate the project. And guess which photo was chosen? The one where Winston proudly wears our Sankara creation by United Souls alongside his daughter Nadia McAnuff.
Available to listen to here: https://baco.lnk.to/McAnuffColors
This project, entitled COLORS and produced by Nadia McAnuff & The Ligerians, is a true musical gem that will be released on October 25th on SoulNurse Records. This beautiful combination of father Winston and his daughter Nadia promises to be a true musical gem.
This new father-daughter collaboration fully embodies the spirit of United Souls, a brand that unites souls around the world. Nadia and Winston McAnuff, two souls united for life!