Songs of freedom: The soundtracks of political change in Sudan

The uprising in Sudan has been vocal – and musical. “Tasqut bas!” – just fall, that’s all – was a commonly-used slogan by Sudanese as they revolted against military dictator Omar al-Bashir’s 30-year rule. The uprising, which began in December 2018, intensified over the following weeks, forcing Al-Bashir to step down on 11 April 2019.

When the revolution gathered steam, the government expelled most international media outlets. So it was up to citizens to send images and videos which were circulated on social media. These footages from the heart of the revolution contained one thing in common: the familiar beat of music. This was to be expected. Sudanese music has always been heavily laden with political rhetoric.