Oumou Sangaré
The Diva du Wassoulou, founder of FIWA — Singer and composer — Wassoulou music, mandingue music
Biographie
Born in Bamako in 1968, Oumou Sangaré grew up singing at weddings and baptisms, before the album Moussolou (1989) propelled her: the voice of the Wassoulou, her region of southern Mali, championing women's causes over kamale ngoni rhythms. Ko Sira, Worotan and Seya — Grammy-nominated — followed, then Mogoya (2017) and Timbuktu (2022). In 2011, she won a Grammy for her collaboration with Herbie Hancock. In 2016, she founded the FIWA in Yanfolila, the festival of her homeland.
Distinctions and benchmarks
['Grammy Award 2011 (collaboration "Imagine" with Herbie Hancock)', 'CIM-UNESCO Award 2001 · Commander of Arts and Letters (1998)', 'WOMEX Artist Award 2017 · FAO Goodwill Ambassador (2003)', 'FIWA Foundation — Festival International du Wassoulou (2016)']
Discographie
['Moussolou (1989)', 'Ko Sira (1993)', 'Worotan (1996)', 'Seya (2009)', 'Mogoya (2017)', 'Acoustic (2020)', 'Timbuktu (2022)']
On the Poster — Festivals
- 2023 — FIWA, Yanfolla: Head of poster and founder of the festival — performance filmed by Mali-Online TV — See the festival entry
See also
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Live at FIWA 2023, Yanfolila (Mali-Online TV)
▶
Duet with Djoss Saramani at FIWA 2023
In our articles
Performing formats
- Concert — main stage
- Festival — headliner