About artist
Rokia Traoré is an award-winning Malian singer, songwriter and guitarist. Rokia was born in Mali as a member of the Bamana ethnic group. As her father was a diplomat, she travelled widely in her youth including to Algeria, Saudi Arabia, France and Belgium. As a result of this travel, she was exposed to a wide variety of influences. Her hometown is Kolokani, in the northwestern part of Mali's Koulikoro region.
Her first album Mouneissa (Label Bleu), released in late 1997 in Mali and 1998 in Europe, was acclaimed for its fresh treatment and unqualifiable combinations of several Malian music traditions such as her use of the ngoni and the balafon. It sold over 40,000 copies in Europe.
