It is now 16 years since the unique voice and performances of Amira Kheir first emerged onto an international stage, and 14 since the release of her debut album ‘View From Somewhere’. During this time Amira has honed her craft and developed her style, yet her message remains consistent. Born in Italy of Sudanese parents, her Sudanese ancestry and pride in Africa's contribution to the world lie at her very core.

On ‘Black Diamonds’, her 4th album, self-penned songs sung in English bookend arrangements of classic Sudanese repertoire sung in Arabic - not forgetting one in Italian - all of which combine into a coherent and unified set of recordings that allow Amira to explore Sudan’s history and the position in which Sudan and Africa now find themselves: “It is about us, and it is also beyond us”.