aaamusic | On 20, Sep 2011

MOBO nominated Fatoumata Diawara offers free download from forthcoming debut album

“…a rising new star from Mali. She has the most gorgeous voice, a fantastic sense of melody and her guitar playing fuses spare blues, folk and funk….. Go see her.” THE GUARDIAN

“Mali’s latest Afro-pop sensation.” UNCUT DEBUT ALBUM OF THE MONTH

“Varied and joyous, and brimming with promise” Music OMH

World Circuit’s Fatoumata Diawara is offering a free download of her track ‘Bissa’ taken from her stunning debut album ‘Fatou’ – released next Monday, 19th September. Recently nominated for a MOBO award, Fatoumata has also been confirmed as part of ‘Another Honest Jon’s Chop Up’, a one off live performance at The Barbican, also featuring Flea, Damon Alburn & Tony Allen.

Born in Côte d’Ivoire, raised in Mali, now based in Paris, and still only 29, Fatou has had a life covering a whole gamut of contemporary African experience: fighting parental opposition to her artistic ambitions and the cultural prejudice faced by women throughout Africa, winning success as an actress in film and theatre, before finding her feet in the medium she was always destined to make her own: music.

Having performed with Oumou Sangare as part of her touring band and appearing on the recent TP Orchestre Poly Rythmo and AfroCubism albums, Fatou was signed to World Circuit and released her debut EP early this year. As well performing as part of Another Honest Jon’s Chop later in the year she has her own headline show at Jazz Cafe in October. Fatou will make her UK TV debut performing on this seasons Jools Holland later in the month.

FREE DOWNLOAD: ‘BISSA’: http://socialunlock.com/world-circuit-records/fatoumata-diawara-bissa

‘Bissa’ official video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E82BifytoYY

UK Live Dates

13th October – Jazz Cafe – London: http://venues.meanfiddler.com/jazz-cafe/full-listings/featured-gigs/4720
29th October – The Barbican – London – ‘Another Honest Jon’s Chop Up’: http://www.barbican.org.uk/music/event-detail.asp?ID=12610