Oumou Sangare | Artist

Oumou Sangaré is a Malian Wassoulou musician born 1968 in Bamako Mali. Sangaré, sometimes referred to as "The Songbird of Wassoulou" is a Grammy Award-winning singer and musical group leader, who is one of Africa's top selling stars. Wassoulou is a historical region south of the Niger River, where the music descends from age-old traditional song, often accompanied by a calabash. She began singing in the streets to help her mother, leaving school at an early age. Her career began in 1973 when, aged five, she won a singing competition in Bamako, going on to perform before an audience of several thousand. At 16, she went on tour with the percussion group Djoliba, touring in Europe, the Caribbean and elsewhere. Inspired by her reception on tour, Sangaré returned to Bamako and established her own musical group and with the help of fellow Malian musician Ali Farka Touré, Sangaré signed with the English record label World Circuit. Sangaré recorded her superb first album, Moussoulou ("Women"), with Amadou Ba Guindo, a renowned maestro of Malian music. The album was very successful in Africa, with more than 200,000 copies sold. To-date Sangare has released seven studio albums, standouts include Moussoulou, Ko Sira, Worotan and Mogoya. Also highly recommended is the 2003 compilation Oumou. Sangaré is an advocate for woman's rights, opposing child marriage and polygamy. She is also a successful business-woman, owning hotels, farms and her own car company. She owns the 30-room Hotel Wassoulou in Mali's capital, Bamako, which is a haven for musicians and her own regular performing space.

Artist Website: worldcircuit/Oumou_Sangare

Featured Albums: Oumou Sangare

Related Artists: Ali Farka Toure

Video Clips: Seya, Mali Niale, Djoukourou