Rokia Traoré Ousmane Kouyaté - Festival d’Été - Rokia Traoré Ousmane

Rokia Traoré, an emblematic figure of contemporary Malian music, returns to the Paris stage at Cabaret Sauvage. Accompanied by Ousmane Kouyaté, she promises an evening where tradition and modernity meet with subtlety.

Rokia Traoré, born in 1974 in Mali, is an artist whose career is marked by constant exploration of bridges between her country's musical traditions and more contemporary sounds. Daughter of a diplomat, she had the opportunity to travel and absorb diverse cultures, an openness reflected in her work. She gained recognition in the late 1990s with albums such as "Mouneïssa" (1997) and "Wanita" (2000), where she reinvents the kora and n'goni, emblematic Malian instruments, by fusing them with blues and folk influences. Her vocal style, at once soft and powerful, has become her signature, allowing her to deliver poetic and engaged texts.

Her career is marked by ambitious collaborations and projects, such as her participation in Peter Sellars' opera "W3llkard" or her work with the Kronos Quartet. Rokia Traoré is not just a singer; she is also a composer and author who addresses universal themes such as love, exile, identity, and the female condition. Her cultural and social commitment is notable, particularly through her Passerelle foundation, which works for the development of performing arts in Mali. Her work is a constant dialogue between Mandingue heritage and an artistic vision resolutely turned toward the future, which has earned her international recognition and numerous distinctions.

For this appearance at Cabaret Sauvage, Rokia Traoré will be accompanied by Ousmane Kouyaté, a guitarist whose virtuosity and sensitivity are recognized. Their collaboration promises to highlight the richness of Malian melodies and rhythms, while offering a renewed interpretation. Rokia Traoré's live experience is renowned for its intensity and authenticity. She creates an intimate atmosphere where each note and word resonate with particular depth. Audiences can expect a concert where emotion will be centre stage, carried by the artist's unique voice and the refinement of the arrangements. This concert is an opportunity to discover or rediscover a major artist whose music is a bridge between continents and eras.

Cabaret Sauvage, with its warm setting and proximity to the audience, is a place conducive to the expression of Rokia Traoré's music.