Fatoumata Diawara

Fatoumata Diawara, the Malian singer-songwriter and guitarist of high regard, weaves her sound from deep Wassoulou roots while embracing vivid Afro-pop, desert blues, and an array of additional genres. Residing in France, she had already built a substantial body of screen work prior to issuing her first record, the 2011 album Fatou on World Circuit, where her dual career as performer and musician continued to flourish through worldwide concerts, headline slots at events such as Glastonbury, and joint appearances alongside figures including Bobby Womack, the Roots, and Toumani Diabaté. The 2018 follow-up Fenfo (Something to Say) led to partnerships with European acts like Disclosure and Gorillaz, and her collaborative approach reached new scope on the 2023 release London Ko, which included contributions from Damon Albarn, Angie Stone, and Yemi Alade.

Born in Côte d'Ivoire to parents from Mali, she relocated during her teenage years to the capital Bamako. Early involvement in acting brought her first screen part at age 14, and by 18 she had settled in Paris, joining the French theater troupe Royale de Luxe while taking roles in Genesis (1999) and Sia, The Dream of the Python (2001). Toward the end of the 2000s she had also established herself as a guitarist and vocalist delivering original folk material grounded in Wassoulou traditions; after serving as backup singer on tour for the Malian icon Oumou Sangaré, she secured a recording deal with World Circuit.

Her 2011 debut Fatou presented a set of finely crafted folk pieces, performed largely in Dambara and supported by such noted musicians as drumming legend Tony Allen, kora master Toumani Diabaté, and English bassist John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin. Critics responded with widespread praise, propelling her onto the global stage. She added guest vocals to projects by Cuban pianist Roberto Fonseca, American R&B singer Bobby Womack, and Ethiopian jazz great Mulatu Astatke, while maintaining her acting schedule with an appearance in the 2014 Oscar-nominated film Timbuktu. Released in 2018, her second album Fenfo (Something to Say) ventured into fresh territory spanning smooth Afro-pop and blues, its lyrics addressing migration, marriage restrictions, and African identity; further collaborations arrived via Disclosure on “Ultimatum” and “Douha (Mali Mali)” and Gorillaz on “Désolé,” alongside a part in the 2019 film Yao.

For her third album Diawara enlisted Gorillaz’s Damon Albarn as co-producer; the pair had first connected in 2012 during Diawara’s participation in Albarn’s Africa Express Train tour and had maintained an ongoing creative friendship. Issued in 2023, London Ko was likewise co-written by Albarn and continued her exploration of varied sounds through electronic pop and organic guitar passages, with guest appearances from Angie Stone, M.anifest, and the Brooklyn Youth Chorus.