Biography
1958, Kita, Mali. With origins in a highly musical family, Kouyaté became a distinctive solo artist in her own right from the mid-80s onwards. Her main attribute has always been a voice which can convey both beauty and strength in equal measure, and when matched with appropriate material, the results can be spectacular. Her professional career began with the Mali National Ensemble, but she soon formed her own band in the early 80s. This included two notable participants, kora star Toumani Diabate and Bouba Sacko on guitar. She drew on various traditions for her musical accompaniment, from the kora of Senegal and Gambia to traditional Kita songs taught to her as a child. She travelled to Abidjan in 1985 to record her debut cassette album, which featured a major domestic hit in ‘Maimouna Sarama’. This brought her to the attention not only of the Malian populace in general, but also businessman Babani Cissoko, who became her patron (as he had been...
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