Portraits: Fela Kuti's Kalakuta Queens, Circa 2011
Photographer James Petrozzello's gorgeous portraits capture the strong beauty of the FELA!dancers paying tribute to the original FelaQueens. "I have long been a fan of Fela Kuti - the musician, the political figure, the icon," Petrozzello told Okayafrica. "The first time I saw his 'queens' I was struck by their radical style. I wanted to make these photos to pay homage to their beauty and to bring attention to the women who contributed so much to Fela's life." (Portraits of the original queens can be found here.)
FELA! has just returned from a triumphant "homecoming" in Lagos, and has upcoming dates in Amsterdam, England and in select US cities including Philadelphia and Washington, D.C.
See images from the series below:
Models: Rujeko Dumbutshena, Catherine Foster, Abena Koomson, Jill Vallery, Shaneeka Harrell, Shakira Marshall, Lauren De Veaux, Oneika Phillips, Hettie Barnhill, Iris Wilson, Aimee Graham Wodobode.