Biography
Born on 30 May in Bamako, Mali, Fatoumata Toure came from a noble lineage that traditionally barred its members from pursuing singing as a livelihood, given the cultural expectation that only those belonging to the Griot caste would take up professional music. Despite this restriction she began performing in public while still a child, and during her middle teenage years she regularly entered and triumphed at local competitive festivals. Although her reputation as a vocalist, dancer and composer continued to spread, she deliberately set music aside to focus on her education, ultimately earning a degree in accountancy and management. After stepping away from performance she opened a boutique, yet in 1995 she re-entered the musical arena by joining an orchestra directed by Toumani Diabate at the Market for African Performing Arts in Cote d’Ivoire. The enthusiastic response to this appearance prompted her to resume regular shows in her native city, and the following year she cut her first album for domestic release. The recording drew the notice of Salif Keita, whose admiration for her commanding voice and socially conscious songwriting led him to invite her to his Wenda Production studio. There, in November 1996, she tracked N’tin Naari, which reached international listeners twelve months later. The album showcased Toure’s unvarnished vocals and texts addressing the circumstances of Malian women, supported by indigenous instruments such as the balafon and the ngoni together with electric guitar and keyboards.
Albums