SALIF KEITA

Salif Keïta (IPA: [salif keita]) (born 25 August 1949)[3] is a Malian singer-songwriter, referred to as the "Golden Voice of Africa". He is a member of the Keita royal family of Mali. Due to political unrest, Keita and his band-mates fled Mali in the mid-1970s. They settled in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, where they struggled financially and often had to rent equipment to perform shows. The band (now named Les Ambassadeurs Internationaux) steadily grew in popularity in the ensuing years.[3] Their 1978 album, Mandjou, became an overnight success in West Africa.[9] In 1976, Sékou Touré, the President of Guinea, made Keita an Officer of Guinea's National Order of Merit.[3] The President had been a fan of Keita and the band's since they met at an official visit in 1974. Touré had remained a fan and supporter even after they fled Mali. Wanting to reciprocate the honour, Keita composed the track "Mandjou" (featured on the eponymous 1978 album) as a praise song for Touré.[3] However, by the time the song was released, Touré had completely resorted to authoritarian rule and plunged his country into bloodshed and chaos. Keita still performs rearranged versions of "Mandjou".[9] Keita moved to Paris, France, in 1984 to reach a larger audience and to pursue a solo career.[3] His music combined traditional West African music styles with influences from both Europe and the Americas.[3] CLICK HERE TO STREAM HIS LATEST ALBUM FOR FREE