{{Short description|French musical duo}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Les Nubians | image =Les Nubians 4.jpg | caption = Les Nubians in 2003 | background = group_or_band | origin = [[Bordeaux]], France | genre = [[contemporary R&B|R&B]], [[Music of Africa|African]], [[neo soul]] | years_active = 1998–present | label = Nubiatik, [[Virgin Records|Virgin]], [[Higher Octave Music|Higher Octave]], [[Shanachie Records|Shanachie]] | associated_acts = | website = [http://www.lesnubians.com/ LesNubians.com] }}
'''Les Nubians''' is a French musical duo, composed of sisters Hélène and Célia Faussart from [[Paris]], France. In 1985, the sisters moved with their parents to [[Chad]].<ref name="Larkin90"/> Seven years later, they returned to [[Bordeaux]], France, and began singing a cappella, producing poetry slams in Bordeaux and Paris, and singing background vocals for various artists worldwide. The duo's debut album ''[[Princesses Nubiennes]]'' was released by [[Virgin Records]], France, in 1998.<ref name="Larkin90">{{cite book|title=The Virgin Encyclopedia of Nineties Music|title-link=Encyclopedia of Popular Music|editor=Colin Larkin|editor-link=Colin Larkin (writer)|publisher=[[Virgin Books]]|date=2000|edition=First|isbn=0-7535-0427-8|page=229}}</ref>
They have become one of the most successful [[French language|French]]-language musical groups in the U.S., best known for their Billboard R&B Single "Makeda"<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Les Nubians Switch To English On 2nd Set |first=Rashaun |last=Hall |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |date=March 29, 2003 |page=10 |url=http://www.billboard.com/archive#/archive/read?id=Qw8EAAAAMBAJ&pg=10&query=Makeda&date=2003-03-29}}</ref> from their Grammy nominated album ''Princesses Nubiennes''.<ref name="SoulTrain">{{cite web|url=http://soultrain.com/2011/06/14/artist-to-artist-les-nubians-revolutionary-sisters-of-soul/|title=Artist to Artist: Les Nubians – Revolutionary Sisters of Soul|work=[[Soul Train]]|accessdate=26 November 2011}}</ref> Les Nubians were the 1999 [[Soul Train]] Lady of Soul Awards winners for Best New Artist, Group or Duo and received two [[NAACP]] Image Awards nominations in 2000.<ref name=SoulTrain/>
In May 2020, the sisters were featured in the [[Visual Collaborative]] Polaris catalog. In a series titled ''TwentyEightyFour'' released during the peak of the [[COVID-19 pandemic]], their interview announced a music single LIBERATION.<ref>{{cite web |title=Les Nubians |url=https://www.visualcollaborative.com/les_nubians/ |website=TwentyEightyFour |publisher=Visual Collaborative |accessdate=15 May 2020}}</ref> [[Rika Muranaka]], [[Dakore Akande]] appeared in the same periodical.<ref>{{cite news |title=Les Nubians, Rika Muranaka, Chigul, Busie Matsiko-Andan, Coppé appear in TwentyEightyFour |url=https://guardian.ng/art/les-nubians-rika-muranaka-chigul-busie-matsiko-andan-coppe-appear-in-twentyeightyfour/ |location=Lagos, Nigeria|accessdate=15 May 2020 |issue=Guardian Arts |date=3 May 2020|newspaper=[[The Guardian (Nigeria)|The Guardian]]}}</ref> The duo executive-produced ''Echos, Chapter One'' in 2005 on their label Nubiatik; a joint venture with Triloka Records. The project features artists from France, and the U.S. performing poetry and music from the urban edge. ''Echos, Chapter One: Nubian Voyager'' was released in 2006 as a book accompaniment to the CD.
==Discography== ===Albums=== *''[[Princesses Nubiennes]]'' (1998) [[Virgin Records]] *''One Step Forward'' (2003) [[Virgin Records]], [[Higher Octave]] *''Echos, Chapter One'' (2005) Nubiatik * ''Nü Revolution'' (2011) Nubiatik, Shanachie
===Soundtracks=== *''[[You Got Served: Beat the World|Beat the World]]'' (2011)
===Singles=== {{emptysect|date=December 2024}}
===Duets=== * ''Sueña'' (Sonrisa, 2010) feat Ana Torroja
===Guest appearances=== * "[[Funkin' for Jamaica (N.Y.)|Funkin' for Jamaica]]" ([[Towa Tei]] featuring Joanne, Les Nubians, Wisdom Life & [[Tom Browne (trumpeter)|Tom Browne]]), from the album ''[[Last Century Modern]]'' (1999) * "On My Own" ([[The Black Eyed Peas|Black Eyed Peas]] featuring Les Nubians and [[Mos Def]]) from the album, ''[[Bridging the Gap (Black Eyed Peas album)|Bridging the Gap]]'' (2000) * "Who's There?" ([[Guru]]) from the album, "[[Jazzmatazz, Vol. 3: Streetsoul]]" (2000) * "Love Language" ([[Reflection Eternal]]) from the album, "[[Train of Thought (Reflection Eternal album)]]" (2002)
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[http://www.lesnubians.com/ Official website]{{Dead link|date=August 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Nubians, Les}} [[Category:Musical groups from Paris]] [[Category:French people of Cameroonian descent]] [[Category:Neo soul groups]] [[Category:Black French musicians]] [[Category:French girl groups]] [[Category:Virgin Records artists]] [[Category:21st-century French women singers]] [[Category:20th-century French women singers]] [[Category:French soul musical groups]] [[Category:Female musical duos]] [[Category:French musical duos]] [[Category:Sibling musical duos]] [[Category:Higher Octave Music artists]] [[Category:Shanachie Records artists]]