OUMOU SANGARÉ
the new album
TIMBUKTU
is out
Global superstar Oumou Sangaré releases his new studio album “Timbuktu“, World Cricuit-BMG, was released on April 29th. Of the album and its release, Oumou said: “I need to sing Timbuktu to free myself first of all and to support and show the rest of the world the value of Timbuktu and what it represents for us Malians and for humanity. in general“.
The album includes the recent single “Wassulu Don“, a joyful expression of the pride of Oumou’s hometown, which was recently added to the playlist by BBC 6Music and is accompanied by a beautiful video directed by Justyna Obasi and shot in Ghana.
Oumou will be on tour with his band throughout the summer and fall 2022.
Among the confirmed dates, in addition to the two in Italy on 23 September at the Festival au Désert Florence and on 24 September at the Ethnos Festival in Naples, Sangaré will play at the Queen Elizabeth Hall in London on 15 June and will participate in the Grace Jones Meltdown Festival and the Blue Dot Festival.
Recorded in various locations (US, Mali and France) and co-produced by Pascal Danaë and Nicolas Quéré, “Timbuktu” contains the Malian singer’s first unreleased tracks since the release of the critically acclaimed album “Mogoya” in 2017. The recent single “Wassulu Don“, a joyful fusion of Oumou’s signature Malian sound with elements of blues and rock, premiered on International Women’s Day.
stream https://worldcircuit.lnk.to/OStimbuktu
Sangaré is world famous for her vibrant and powerful music, which often contains groundbreaking messages on topics such as women’s rights, tradition and poverty. Since the release of her debut album “Moussoulou” in 1989, the Malian singer has had no respite. Among the most important stages of her rich and fruitful journey we find some of the most important recordings in the history of contemporary African music: “Ko Sira” (1993), “Worotan” (1996) and “Seya” (2009), the latter named for a Grammy Award. Counting among his fans the likes of Alicia Keys, Aya Nakamura and Beyoncé (who sampled the classic “Diaraby Nene” for the 2019 Lion King movie soundtrack) Sangaré has long since broken the barriers that separate continents. and musical styles.
“Timbuktu” is the latest act in an unprecedented musical epic, which consecrates an artist who came from the slums of Bamako to become a world-renowned musician and activist (for her tireless work on social progress and cultural development, received the prestigious titles of Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Food & Agriculture organization, Commander of the National Order of Mali and Chevalier of culture in France).
A bold sonic approach, which blends the dynamism of traditional Wassulu rhythms with the language of contemporary music. “Timbuktu” is destined to become the most ambitious and accomplished work in his already remarkable discography.
“The music is inside me,” says Oumou. “Without it I am nothing and nothing can take it away from me! I have put my life in this record, my whole life, this life in which I have known hunger, the humiliation of poverty and fear, and from which today I draw glory“.
“Fusing West African tradition with blues, folk and rock, the result is Sangaré’s
most ambitious album to date.”
UNCUT 8/10
“…a euphoric piece of music”
New York Times
“If you’ve never sampled Oumou Sangaré before, Timbuktu is the perfect entrée… she’s delivered her most accessible album yet, perhaps even her best.”
4/5 MOJO
‘An artist I absolutely adore… couldn’t be more grateful for this’
LAUREN LAVERNE BBC 6MUSIC
Timbuktu” tracklist:
- Wassulu Don
- Sira
- Degui N’Kelena
- Gniani Sara
- Timbuktu
- Sarama
- Kanou
- Demissimw
- Kêlê Magni
- Dily Oumou
- Sabou Dogoné
Oumou Sangaré – Tour dates confirmed:
May 13 – Hannover, DE – Staatsoper
May 15 – Paris, FR – La Cigale
June 11 – Gotenborg, SE – Festival Clandestino (at Pustervik)
June 14 – Brussels, BE – AB
June 15 – London, UK – Royal Festival Hall (Meltdown Festival)
June 18 – Prague, CZ – Respect Festival
June 19 – Liverpool, UK – Africa Oye
July 06 – Amsterdam, NL – Concertgebow
September 23 – Florence, IT – Festival Au Désert Florence
September 24 – Naples, IT – Ethnos Festival
November 10 – Bordeaux, FR – Rocher du Palmer
The Papers Blog 