Maabo

Maabo, a Senegalese husband-and-wife pair, craft a luminous Afro-pop style built on their blended voices and the affectionate themes that run through their songs. Viral traction from tracks such as "Queen Xol" and "Yako Waral" paved the way for the 2019 arrival of their first album, Jolofbeats.

Mia and Abdoul Guisse crossed paths in Dakar during 2012 and quickly joined forces on musical projects. Mia already worked as a singer and songwriter while Abdoul had established himself as a sought-after engineer and producer; the two discovered an instant rapport in the studio. Their professional bond gradually turned romantic, leading to marriage in 2015 and the launch of Maabo as a pop act in which both partners sing and compose. Early singles built a following across Senegal, where listeners responded to the music and also embraced the duo as a couple. The 2017 release "Yako Waral" earned a Raaya Award, and after several additional singles the pair issued their debut full-length, Jolofbeats, in 2019. The single "Wa Li Nekhoul" followed in 2020.