Rokia Traoré (born January 26, 1974) is a Victoires de la Musique award-winning Malian singer, songwriter and guitarist, born in Mali as a member of the Bambara ethnic group. Her father was a diplomat and she travelled widely in her youth. She visited such countries as Algeria, Saudi Arabia, France and Belgium and was exposed to a wide variety of influences. Her hometown of Kolokani is in the northwestern part of Mali's Koulikoro region. While... Read full biography of Rokia Traore →
A melody without the right rhythm hardly exists.
We need self-confidence in our ability to build Africa. I trust in Mali and I trust in music.
Going back and forth between Western Arabic and African countries clearly created the various musical backgrounds I could have and obviously... →
I loved music - listening and playing - but of course I could not imagine I would be a professional musician. It really happened step by step.
Not what you would call a musical family, but my father used to play saxophone, and I discovered many genres of music when I was a child.
Rokia Traoré (born January 26, 1974) is a Victoires de la Musique award-winning Malian singer, songwriter and guitarist, born in Mali as a member of the Bambara ethnic group. Her father was a diplomat and she travelled widely in her youth. She visited such countries as Algeria, Saudi Arabia, France and Belgium and was exposed to a wide variety of influences. Her hometown of Kolokani is in the northwestern part of Mali's Koulikoro region. While...