Wed 3/2 @ 7:30PM
Fatoumata Diawara is a musician/actress from Mali currently based in France. The 39-year-old singer/guitarist/composer is at the forefront of a younger generation of African artists who draw on their native roots while engaging with contemporary music from around the world. Diawara began to attract attention when she released her debut album Fatouon Nonesuch in 2011; her 2018 album, Fenfo (Something to Say), garnered a Grammy nomination for Best World Music album. And she performed an NPR Tiny Desk concert just last month.
Diawara sings mostly in Bambara, a Malian native language, while playing electric guitar. Many of her songs address the treatment of women in her country, including their loss of rights as the influence of religious fundamentalism grows — a message that will certainly resonate with women in the U.S.
She’ll be performing at the Cleveland Museum of Art’s Gartner Auditorium. Tickets are $38-$59.
clevelandart.org/events/music-and-performances/fatoumata-diawara