Singer Oumou Sangaré

Malian vocalist Oumou Sangaré's struggle for Mali's women, in particular, and for impoverished women, in general, will gain from contact with FAO and the international community.
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(French, 00:00:40, mp3 2003 audio, 309kb)

One of Mali's most beloved singers, Oumou Sangaré has a gift for elevating traditional music to subtle, nuanced, contemporary pop that raises probing social questions, especially about the evolving roles of women in Africa.

Oumou Sangaré is the leading female star of the Wassoulou sound, which is based on an ancient tradition of hunting rituals mixed with songs about devotion, praise and harvest played with five-note melodies.

She has been a vital force in Afro-pop since the 1990s and was featured on the soundtrack of the 1998 screen adaptation of Toni Morrison’s Beloved. The reissue in 1999 of “Moussoulou”, Sangaré's 1989 debut album, long difficult to find in the West, was an enormous success.

Though the language barrier may prevent some listeners from grasping the full meaning of Oumou Sangare's discourse on moussoulou ("women"), the singer's expressively clear intonation and range coupled with complex acoustic arrangements speak across the divide with earthy strength.

Ms. Sangaré was appointed FAO Ambassador on 16 October 2003.

“As an FAO Ambassador, I will exert all efforts to spread the message of FAO all over the world and to the largest possible audiences. In fact, our ultimate goal is to reach every individual."

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