French-Cameroonian sisters, Helene and Celia Faussart, are the brilliant duo behind chart-topping sensation Les Nubians. The sisters have been performing together since an early age, and in 1992, they began gaining recognition in Bordeaux, France for producing poetry slams, singing a cappella, and as backup singers for world-renowned artists. Influenced by R&B and jazz legends like Ella Fitzgerald, Miriam Makeba, and Fela Kuti, Les Nubians’ distinctive vibes represent the blending of experiences from lives spent between the French countryside and urban Africa, self-described as “Afropean.” 

Virgin Records released their debut album, Princesses Nubiennes, in 1998, and by 1999, the duet was honored as Best New Artist, Group, or Duo by the Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards. The first hit single, “Makeda,” made the R&B Top Ten. A tribute to the Queen of Sheba, the song’s empowering and fearless lyrics helped lead Helene and Celia to the NAACP Image Awards, where they received two award nominations in 2000. The debut quickly became the most successful French language album in decades. 2002 saw the sisters invited to collaborate with artists worldwide, such D’Angelo and Macy Gray, on Red Hot and Riot, a compilation in honor of Fela Kuti, father of “Afrobeat,” with all proceeds donated to AIDS research.

The sisters have continued to collaborate with artists from Talib Kweli to The Black Eyed Peas, and lend their artistry to causes all over the world. Helene and Celia were invited to be ambassadors for “Hip Hop Gabao,” the major urban festival of Central Africa and have facilitated youth workshops worldwide in an effort to enhance music education. Les Nubians’ second album One Step Forward was released in 2003, with the single “Je Veux D’la Musique” nominated for a Grammy in 2004.  This summer, the sisters' powerful and politically conscious performance at Stern Grove, lifted the filled concert meadow to their feet. They are currently touring in support of their highly anticipated third album, due out this fall.