Rhiannon Giddens's debut solo album, Tomorrow Is My Turn, has been named Album of the Year at the inaugural International Folk Music Awards. The winner was announced at the awards ceremony held last night at the 28th Folk Alliance International conference in Kansas City. Giddens is joined by cellist Leyla McCalla and singer-songwriter Bhi Bhiman for a week of US concerts titled Swimming in Dark Waters: Other Voices of the American Experience starting at Oberlin Conservatory this Saturday.

The full program for the 50th Brighton Festival (May 7–29, 2016) in England has been unveiled, with Laurie Anderson as Guest Director. Anderson's own events include the UK premiere of her Music for Dogs, a screening of her film Heart of a Dog, an exclusive new performance monologue about place and places called Slideshow; and Song Conversation, a freewheeling walk through sonic spaces with pianist Nik Bärtsch and guitarist Eivind Aarset. The festival also brings the UK premiere of Lou Reed Drones, an installation of her late husband's guitars and amps in feedback mode.

Rokia Traoré performed two songs from her new album, Né So, on the French TV show Le Grand Journal last night: "Ilé" and "Obiké." You can watch here. She was also a guest on the French show Le Grand 8 on Monday, performing "Mayé" from the new album. Traoré tours several cities across France starting in Paris on Thursday, February 25, followed by stops in Amsterdam, Brussels, and Geneva. She heads to the US in late March for shows in NYC, DC, and Savannah.

Rokia Traoré spoke with NPR's Weekend Edition Saturday about her new album, Né So (Home). Speaking about the civil war in her home country of Mali and the impact music can have in shining a light on the world's ills and offering hope as well, Traoré says: "That simply changes your life, and you're no longer naive in your way of seeing and thinking. Everything changes. And Mali is still what it is. You know, music there is so important, and culture is an important part of our life, of our social life. And in such a situation, I think that culture is even more important." You can hear the conversation here. Traoré will perform live on Le Grand Journal in France tonight.

Stephen Sondheim and John Weidman's latest musical, Road Show, begins a month-long DC-area run at the Signature Theatre in Arlington, VA, tonight. Director Gary Griffin brings his Chicago Shakespeare Theater staging of the musical, which the Chicago Sun-Times called "funny, fierce, lean, and heartbreaking," to the Signature. Performances continue through March 13. Nonesuch Records and PS Classics released the original cast recording of Road Show in 2009.

Rokia Traoré's sixth album, Né So (Home), is out now. Produced by John Parish (PJ Harvey, Tracy Chapman), it comprises 10 original songs plus a cover of Billie Holiday's "Strange Fruit" and features guest performances by John Paul Jones and Devendra Banhart. NPR calls Né So a "gorgeous new album" from a "fantastically gifted" artist. The Times says: "Traoré has made the album of her career." Uncut exclaims: "Brave, challenging and arrestingly original, Traoré may just have gone and made the finest indie-rock album to emerge from arguably the world's most musical continent."

Lianne La Havas's new EP, Blood Solo, is out now. The EP is a collection of five tracks and an interlude from her Grammy-nominated album Blood plus a new song, "Fairytale," performed solo. She will perform from the new EP on The Late Late Show with James Corden next week. Tickets for La Havas's US tour with Leon Bridges this fall are on sale now.

The Staves return to the US and to Eau Claire, WI, the town where they recorded their album If I Was, to perform at the second-annual Eaux Claires Festival. The festival, helmed by Justin Vernon, who produced the album, takes place August 12 and 13; tickets are on sale now. To celebrate the announcement, The Staves have unveiled a video for the album track "Horizons" set at last year's festival. Watch it here. "It was a truly humbling experience to be a part of something so pure, so human, so musical, and ultimately so inspiring," says the trio of the festival. "Bring on August!"

Louis Andriessen's six decades of music-making are being celebrated at the Barbican in London, broadcast on BBC Radio 3 … Timo Andres premieres new piece in NY … Jeremy Denk plays the Goldberg Variations in London … Kronos Quartet plays Riley and more in Montana … Brad Mehldau goes solo in Europe … Joshua Redman is in Budapest … Rokia Traoré celebrates release of her new album with in-store showcase in Paris … and more ...

Lake Street Dive's new album, Side Pony, is out on Nonesuch Records next Friday, February 19. But you don't need to wait till then to hear it: the album is streaming in full till then at the band's website, lakestreetdive.com. Head to the site to hear the complete album now.

Lianne La Havas was the musical guest on the Conan show last night on TBS, performing "Unstoppable," from her album Blood and her new EP, Blood Solo, out tomorrow. You can watch the performance here, plus a web-exclusive performance of "Grow." La Havas will be a presenter at the Grammy Awards Premiere Ceremony, where Blood is nominated for Best Urban Contemporary Album, on Monday. Tickets for her tour supporting Leon Bridges this fall go on sale Friday.

Congratulations to Rhiannon Giddens, who has been nominated for Folk Singer of the Year in the 2016 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards. The nominees were announced on Mark Radcliffe's Radio 2 Folk Show earlier this evening. The awards show will take place at Royal Albert Hall in London on Wednesday, April 27. Giddens is up for the Grammy Award for Best Folk Album for her solo debut album, Tomorrow Is My Turn.