Actress, singer and songwriter: Fatoumata Diawara – one of the most intriguing personalities of the young African scene – has many talents. In her music, the 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. “This is my time and I’m sharing my soul” is how the Malian artist born in the Ivory Coast explains her approach to music. Over her yet brief career, Fatoumata Diawara has met some of the most important stars of the global show business, from Bobby Womack to Herbie Hancock, from Paul McCartney to Cuban musician Roberto Fonseca (he will be performing at Umbria Jazz this year). She shared the stage with David Crosby and Snarky Puppy at Carnegie Hall in an evening of topical protest songs and received an incredible success.
In her records and concerts, Fatoumata Diawara makes a synthesis of her different “musical adventures” – this is what she calls them – with results that transcend genres and present an artistic identity that interprets world music without any barrier. There is a key factor in this identity: as a social activist, she campaigned against the modern trafficking of African migrants. “Djonya”, which means “slavery” in bambara, is a song of hope so that every discrimination based on ethnicity, religion and skin tone disappears. The video accompanying the song has had more than 30,000 views. “London Ko” is the title of the latest album produced by Damon Albarn, with whom she has been collaborating for some time. The title suggests an ideal bridge – not only musically speaking – between the English metropolis and Bamako, between Europe and Africa.
