Singer

Fatoumata Diawara is among the most intense, powerful and visionary voices in today's African and international world music scene. Originally from Mali, she is a multifaceted artist, singer, musician, composer, actress and dancer: an overwhelming performer, she tells the story of Africa in its wounds and rebirths and transforms each concert into an intense and participatory collective experience. Her music crosses genres with rare naturalness: afrobeat, jazz, electro, pop and rock intertwine while remaining anchored in mandinka rhythms.

Fatoumata Diawara

Lazzaretto

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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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).

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Fatoumata Diawara

Events

Past events

Jul 2, 2026

Fatoumata Diawara · Fondazione Teatro Donizetti

Jul 18, 2024

Fatoumata Diawara "london Ko" / Laufey · Umbria Jazz

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