When I Get Older: The Story behind "Wavin' Flag"

When I Get Older: The Story behind "Wavin' Flag"

â€œWavinâ€™Flagâ€ has become an international anthem. Its powerful words of hope have crossed generations and borders, and have made Kâ€™NAAN an international star.

In his first book for children, When I Get Older, Somali-Canadian poet, rapper, singer, and songwriter Kâ€™NAAN tells his own story. Born in Somalia, he grew up in Mogadishu. His grandfather was a renowned poet who passed on his love of words to his grandson. When the Somali Civil War began in 1991, Kâ€™NAAN was just thirteen. His mother made the difficult decision to move her family so that they could grow up in safety. First in New York and then in Toronto, Kâ€™NAAN faced many challenges.

Like so many other immigrants, he had to make a place for himself in a world of alien customs, clothes, andÂ language. His road was a hard one: he lost many friends to violence. But Kâ€™NAANâ€™s love of music, and his enormous talent, became a way for him to connect with his past, with his classmates, and eventually, to millions of people around the world. Not only does Kâ€™NAAN tell a story that will inspire and encourage young readers, but he provides a brief history of the Somalian conflict. The lyrics of â€œWavinâ€™ Flagâ€ are also included.

Born Keinan Abdi Warsame, Kâ€™NAAN first came to prominence when he performed a spoken word piece before theÂ United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in 1999. A member of the audience, the singer Youssou Nâ€™Dour, was so impressed that he asked Kâ€™NAAN to take part in an album and to tour with him.

Since then, Kâ€™NAAN has performed in more than 86 countries and has received many honors, including three Juno Awards and the BBC Radio 3 Award for World Music. During the Vancouver Olympics, he worked with other Canadian musicians and artists under the name Young Artists for Haiti to produce a charity version of â€œWavinâ€™ Flag.â€ The song was adapted again to become the FIFA World Cup theme song. There are now twenty-two versions of the song, which hit #1 in nineteen countries.
Country USA
Brand Tundra Books
Manufacturer Tundra Books
Binding Hardcover
ItemPartNumber col. Illustrations
Color Multicolor
ReleaseDate 2012-09-13
UnitCount 1
Format Illustrated
EANs 9781770493025

Country	USA
Brand	Tundra Books
Manufacturer	Tundra Books
Binding	Hardcover
ItemPartNumber	col. Illustrations
Color	Multicolor
ReleaseDate	2012-09-13
UnitCount	1
Format	Illustrated
EANs	9781770493025

When I Get Older: The Story behind "Wavin' Flag"

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