Analyzing the song "Sunny Day" by Akon by POOJA BOODHOOA AND PATRICE TANO https://padlet.com/pooja_boodhooa/bi6fmxowbt56 en-us 2018-03-19 02:25:22 UTC 2023-05-08 18:53:09 UTC hello@padlet.com Introduction pooja_boodhooa https://padlet.com/pooja_boodhooa/bi6fmxowbt56/wish/243304320 Akon is also known as Aliaume Damala Badara Akon Thiam was born on April 16, 1973. He is a Senegalese- American singer. He has released numerous hit albums which range from pop and R&B to hip-hop and dance. He was greatly influenced by his parents; his mother was a dancer and his father was a famous jazz percussionist. Akon has multiple record labels to his credit and has been nominated for multiple Grammy Awards. He accomplished the feat of being the first solo artist to hold both the number one and number two spot on the Billboard Hot 100 charts twice. He has also released songs in other languages, including Tamil, Hindi, and Spanish.]]> 2018-03-19 02:28:33 UTC https://padlet.com/pooja_boodhooa/bi6fmxowbt56/wish/243304320 AKON pooja_boodhooa https://padlet.com/pooja_boodhooa/bi6fmxowbt56/wish/243305146 https://www.instagram.com/p/BaH2BseFhlm/?hl=en&taken-by=akon]]> 2018-03-19 02:33:40 UTC https://padlet.com/pooja_boodhooa/bi6fmxowbt56/wish/243305146 Akon - Charity and Business pooja_boodhooa https://padlet.com/pooja_boodhooa/bi6fmxowbt56/wish/243306087 The singer artist has also been very active in charities. In 2007 he founded KONFIDENCE, a health and education charity for African children.After that, he founded the “Akon Lighting Africa project” with Thione Niang, a Senegalese political activist Samba Bathily, a Malian entrepreneur of a solar energy company to provide the rural populations with electricity and to make electricity affordable in the community. His inspiration to sell solar lighting came from his memories when he stayed in Koalack in the Southern Senegal.
In an interview with Al Jazeera, Akon said: “I’m a businessman first, then musician, Why not make money and change lives at the same time?” (Al Jazeera, 2015 )
His vision was to create jobs and to create self-sustaining economies. The for-profit company had agreements with 16 African countries and they tried to be in business with more than 25 governments by 2017.  

]]> 2018-03-19 02:39:59 UTC https://padlet.com/pooja_boodhooa/bi6fmxowbt56/wish/243306087 Background and inspiration pooja_boodhooa https://padlet.com/pooja_boodhooa/bi6fmxowbt56/wish/243308286 Akon was born in Senegal, grew there until he was seven and settled in the USA in New Jersey. There he discovered Hip-Hop and R&B music as well as crime. He was jailed for three years and spent his time to work on his musical ideas. When he was released, he recorded his debut album “Trouble” in 2004. His album reflects the ups and downs of his life experiences.
The singer says, “Trouble evolves from the struggles that I went through and what I did and I am still doing to correct those things.”  (Akon, 2007) 
  In fact, Akon is one of the rare artists who use his image and wealth for good. He wants the world to be a better place. He has become a great role model, one of the most influential and successful people of the past decade.
]]> 2018-03-19 02:54:27 UTC https://padlet.com/pooja_boodhooa/bi6fmxowbt56/wish/243308286 The song: Sunny Day pooja_boodhooa https://padlet.com/pooja_boodhooa/bi6fmxowbt56/wish/243309948 2018-03-19 03:07:36 UTC https://padlet.com/pooja_boodhooa/bi6fmxowbt56/wish/243309948 The Gist. pooja_boodhooa https://padlet.com/pooja_boodhooa/bi6fmxowbt56/wish/243310255 This song chronicles Akon’s struggles to make it out of the ghetto. Now that his life is easy, everyday feels like a “sunny day” and a better day.]]> 2018-03-19 03:09:22 UTC https://padlet.com/pooja_boodhooa/bi6fmxowbt56/wish/243310255 The message of the song pooja_boodhooa https://padlet.com/pooja_boodhooa/bi6fmxowbt56/wish/243310456 The purpose of the song “Sunny Day” is to sensitize the young audience that everybody can have their “Sunny Day”. He wants to showcase his past experiences from the Ghetto as well as the struggles to get out of it. He shows that anybody can do so if they have an inner will and fight for it. Nobody wants to live in misery and Akon encourages people to believe that everyone has his “Sunny Day” waiting to come.]]> 2018-03-19 03:11:00 UTC https://padlet.com/pooja_boodhooa/bi6fmxowbt56/wish/243310456 Aspect 1: The voice pooja_boodhooa https://padlet.com/pooja_boodhooa/bi6fmxowbt56/wish/243310708 Akon’s voice is shimmering and soulful. He has a personal appeal and ability to reach his listeners giving them an in-depth look at the harsher world and the feeling of when being free. With his distinctive vocals and a relaxed singing style, one gets the feeling as if the singer is speaking to you in a very intimate way. ]]> 2018-03-19 03:12:54 UTC https://padlet.com/pooja_boodhooa/bi6fmxowbt56/wish/243310708 Aspect 2: The lyrics pooja_boodhooa https://padlet.com/pooja_boodhooa/bi6fmxowbt56/wish/243310840 The lyrics are so well defined picturing the singer’s past and all his wrongs doings in a Ghetto. Now that he is out and exploring better ways to heal himself and making people see that there is a “Sunny day” and a better day for everyone. The words of the song are so touching, powerful and soothingthat everyone believe that their life also can have a positive change.]]> 2018-03-19 03:14:02 UTC https://padlet.com/pooja_boodhooa/bi6fmxowbt56/wish/243310840 Aspect 4: Featuring with ‘Wyclef Jean’ pooja_boodhooa https://padlet.com/pooja_boodhooa/bi6fmxowbt56/wish/243310957  It also features Wyclef Jean, a Haitian who overcame many of the same challenges as Akon making it in America. Both men are immigrants and hip-hop stars with just as much talent for singing as for rapping.
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Wyclef-Jean ]]> 2018-03-19 03:15:00 UTC https://padlet.com/pooja_boodhooa/bi6fmxowbt56/wish/243310957 Aspect 3: The Video pooja_boodhooa https://padlet.com/pooja_boodhooa/bi6fmxowbt56/wish/243311044 The video clip of “Sunny Day” by Akon consists of repeated slideshows of pictures. Mainly pictures of broad daylight, scenery and nature were used to showcase the song. There was no use of human activities in it. The singer perhaps wanted it to be free from the noisy environment to express his feelings of being free and light.]]> 2018-03-19 03:15:41 UTC https://padlet.com/pooja_boodhooa/bi6fmxowbt56/wish/243311044 Weakness: pooja_boodhooa https://padlet.com/pooja_boodhooa/bi6fmxowbt56/wish/243311129 One of the weaknesses of the video is that only a slideshow was used. It is showing only the “Sunny Day” which might not show the struggles of the singer in the Ghetto. I believe that if instead of it, a story based video was used, the message would have been more effective as well as touching the heart of all his listeners.]]> 2018-03-19 03:16:25 UTC https://padlet.com/pooja_boodhooa/bi6fmxowbt56/wish/243311129 Conclusion: pooja_boodhooa https://padlet.com/pooja_boodhooa/bi6fmxowbt56/wish/243311217 The overall piece of the song “Sunny Day” by Akon is effective art activism. It shows the challenges that the singer faced in his early life to fly away from the Ghetto life showing how anybody can be lost and not to find a way but now he looks forward to every day. As he has the time to realize that he has to stop and find a better way for a “Sunny Day.” The song was released in 2008 and in 2018 the song has still the same powerful impact on listeners reviving them of their school days, their wrong doings and making them repent on to seek for a “Sunny Day.”  I believe that the song is very meaningful to those who are striving to succeed in their life. It thus acts as a influential song which inculcates moral values to the listener.]]> 2018-03-19 03:17:15 UTC https://padlet.com/pooja_boodhooa/bi6fmxowbt56/wish/243311217 References pooja_boodhooa https://padlet.com/pooja_boodhooa/bi6fmxowbt56/wish/243316888 1.  Panch, B. (2009, February 14). AKON -Sunny Day. Retrieved March 18, 2018, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRs8IZ8Bv94
2.  Gallery – Akon Lighting Africa. (n.d.). Retrieved March 18, 2018, from http://akonlightingafrica.com/gallery/
3.  Akon Picture 7. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.aceshowbiz.com/events/Akon/ADB-011977.html
4.  Akon Picture 63. (n.d.). Retrieved March 19, 2018, from https://www.aceshowbiz.com/events/Akon/akon-billboard-latin-music-awards-2012-show-03.html  
5.  Pallardy, R. (2017, June 21). Wyclef Jean. Retrieved March 19, 2018, from https://www.britannica.com/biography/Wyclef-Jean
6.  Sanchez, D. (2015, December 23). Akon Says Business Works In Africa, Not Charity. Retrieved March 18, 2018, from https://afkinsider.com/104284/akon-says-business-works-in-africa-not-charity/

]]> 2018-03-19 03:50:55 UTC https://padlet.com/pooja_boodhooa/bi6fmxowbt56/wish/243316888 https://farm1.staticflickr.com/312/3_n.jpg pooja_boodhooa https://padlet.com/pooja_boodhooa/bi6fmxowbt56/wish/243317638 2018-03-19 03:56:22 UTC https://padlet.com/pooja_boodhooa/bi6fmxowbt56/wish/243317638 Sunny Day - Lyrics pooja_boodhooa https://padlet.com/pooja_boodhooa/bi6fmxowbt56/wish/243581511 2018-03-19 15:46:09 UTC https://padlet.com/pooja_boodhooa/bi6fmxowbt56/wish/243581511