Singer

Actress, singer, songwriter: Fatoumata Diawara has many talents, one of the most intriguing personalities on the young African scene. In her music, respect for traditions and the reference to the roots of folklore mix seamlessly with a cultural message that looks to the future and the world.

Fatoumata Diawara "london Ko" / Laufey

Arena Santa Giuliana

Fatoumata Diawara is a rarity among Malian singers, wielding her electric guitar to write songs that blend Wassoulou folk music, spiritually centered Afropop, and desert blues. Singing mostly in Bambara, the national language of Mali, Diawara sings about migration, African identity, motherhood, and the struggle of African women. A veteran of the screen and stage, she debuted as an actress in the ‘90s, appearing in films such as Cheick Oumar Sissoko’s La Genèse and the Oscar-nominated Timbuktu. Since her 2011 debut LP Fatou, she’s collaborated with the likes of Herbie Hancock, Bobby Womack, Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Damon Albarn (Blur, Gorillaz), who co-produced her latest album London Ko. In 2019 she became first Malian artist to perform at the Grammys, where she was nominated for Best World Music Album for her 2018 record Fenfo (Something to Say). 

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Fatoumata Diawara

McCarter Theatre Center

As part of the Timbuktu Grooves Festival, McCarter Theatre Center presents a concert highlighting Malian singer-songwriter Fatoumata Diawara, wielding her electric guitar to write songs that blend Wassoulou folk music, spiritually centered Afropop, and desert blues. Singing mostly in Bambara, the national language of Mali, Diawara sings about migration, African identity, motherhood, and the struggle of African women. A veteran of the screen and stage, she debuted as an actress in the ‘90s, appearing in films such as Cheick Oumar Sissoko’s La Genèse and the Oscar-nominated Timbuktu. Since her 2011 debut LPFatou, she’s collaborated with the likes of Herbie Hancock, Bobby Womack, Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Damon Albarn (Blur, Gorillaz), who co-produced her latest album London Ko. In 2019 she became the first Malian artist to perform at the Grammys, where she was nominated for “Best World Music Album” for her 2018 record Fenfo (Something to Say).

Timbuktu Grooves Festival: Fatoumata Diawara

Princeton University

A towering figure in contemporary African music, singer/songwriter/guitarist Fatoumata Diawara’s artistry defines her as the voice of West African womanhood. She’s boldly experimental yet proud of her Malian roots, merging the modernity of stinging electric guitar lines with ancient strings, kit drums with the timeless rhythms of traditional percussion. In slow-burning blues and simmering funk, syncopated Afro-pop and gentle lullabies, Diawara’s riveting sound is burnished by her penetrating, redolent singing. “Incendiary” (The New York Times) and “hypnotic” (Rolling Stone), Fatoumata Diawara’s performances “scream with energy” (NPR).

Fatoumata Diawara

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Events

Past events

Jul 18, 2024

Fatoumata Diawara "london Ko" / Laufey · Umbria Jazz

Sep 30, 2023

Fatoumata Diawara · McCarter Theatre Center

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