Bananarama have shared the title track from their upcoming 12th album Masquerade, and it’s got a stylish video too.
The video kicks off with Keren and Sara donning conservative dresses and wide brim hats, looking slightly Picnic at Hanging Rock, but they soon discard them for more colourful garb.
Sara Dallin said Masquerade is a song that began it’s life during the UK’s Covid lockdown.
“When I was in lockdown there were a lot of conversations happening to do with inclusivity, diversity and gender and racial equality.
“So I had this idea of ‘masquerade’, how you present yourself in different ways depending on the situation, but really, you just want people to be able to live how they want to live. It’s a song we’re really very proud of.” Dallin said.
The video for the new tune was filmed at a beautiful castle in Italy. Left as a ruin for over a hundred years, the stunning castle has recently been restored and is available for your next holiday if you want to splash out.
This is the second track the band have shared following Favourite, a tune co-written by Dallin’s daughter Alice Dallin-Walker. The band’s new album will be out next month.
Childhood friends Keren Woodward and Saras Dallin formed the band in 1980 when they met up with Siobhan Fahey. The topped the charts around the world with hits including Venus, I Want You Back, Love in the First Degree, Cruel Summer, Shy Boy and many more.
Fahey left the group at the height of their fame to form Shakespear’s Sister, and Bananarama continued having hits with replacement Banana Jacqui O’Sullivan. In 1991 they reduced their numbers becoming a duo and have continued making music ever since.
The band’s very first single Aie a Mwana, which was sung in Swahili, was released in 1981. It was not a big hit, scraping into the British charts at number 92. They found success though with their follow up Tain’t What You Do (It’s the Way That You Do It) which was a collaboration with Fun Boy Three.
The band had a steady stream of hits throughout the 1980’s and have built up a dedicated fanbase who’ve enjoyed the bands subsequent albums and live shows. The band’s last album In Stereo was released in 2019.
OIP Staff
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