Oumou Sangaré, born 25 February 1968, is a singer from Mali with a beautiful voice. She is often referred to as ‘The Songbird of Wassoulou’, a historical area famous for old traditional songs.
Early Career
Sangaré is a famous singer who has expertise in African music. Her music is renowned as she raises her voice for women’s rights using wassoulou (a popular style of old African music). The Malian singer released her debut album ‘Moussoulou’ in 1989. Sangaré has pushed the social boundary through her thought-provoking music which speaks for women.
The Malian singer has already won a Grammy award for her music. Her beautiful voice and powerful lyrics have made her famous among many people. Although her music style is the same, her new album has been released with a mix of traditional and cultural Malian melodies. Her album named ‘Timbuktu’ was released in the year 2023.
Her new music album has put her back in the spotlight as she is considered one of the most influential musicians of all time. Many of her fans, especially women relate to her music and consider her a role model. She is also considered a pioneer of feminism as her music has supported the cause from the very beginning. Oumou once stated about her passion for music:
Music is in me. Without music, I am nothing, and nothing can take it away from me! I have poured my life into this record, my whole life – a life where I have known hunger, the humiliation of poverty and fear, and from which today I draw fame.
Oumou Sangaré Accident
All the Oumou fans were desperate to hear her voice live, but unfortunately, their hopes were shattered when the Malian singer had an unforeseen accident. The Sangaré concert was originally scheduled for 19 September 2024, but it had to be postponed due to the accident.
The accident caused the Malian singer to be hospitalized for a while and she underwent surgery. This is why the concert was postponed as the singer was unable to perform on the said dates. All the remaining slots in her European tour were also cancelled and later the new dates were revealed.
Many of her fans have sent their well wishes to the Malian singer. She is in full recovery and will be back soon after gaining her health back. However, fans should not worry if they have already purchased the tickets for the concert. All the tickets that were already purchased will be valid for the next show.
Concert Rescheduled
Those who will be unable to attend the concert at the rescheduled date can return their respective tickets to the concerned authorities for a refund. Fans should note that all the tickets will be eligible for refund by 19 September 2024.
The tentative date for the rescheduled concert date is October 2025. However, the concerned management and the singer herself will confirm the new dates once the schedule is prepared. The accident caused the Malian singer to prevent her from any kind of travel and performance. Although her fans understand the need to cancel the concert due to her accident, they are still very eager for her to return to her full health.
Influence On Music
Sangaré’s development in music came from her mother as her mother was a migrant to Bamako. Her mother moved from Mali’s Wassoulou region to Bamako. This is why the Malian’s singer has her roots established from Wassoulou. Her mother was also a traditional singer, and she would be often called for her performance in the wedding or hired for baptism celebrations within the city.
According to the close friends of Oumou, she accompanied her mother to these events, and this is how she gained her skills as a singer. Sangaré was an early learner and when she was a teenager, she became a locally recognized singer.
When Oumou was 16 years old, she joined the band ‘Djoliba Percussions’. This granted her the opportunity to travel to Europe for a very brief period. She traveled with the band as their lead vocalist. After the completion of the tour, the Malian singer decided to go on her own. It was at this time that she started writing lyrics for her very first album.
Her tool for singing was kamele ngoni, which is an old traditional 6-string harp that is related to Wassoulou tradition. Oumou also hired some female singers to have a better effect with her solo singing.
Apart from her singing career, she also established a hotel and a concert area within Bamako. Her idea was to start a business with these investments. Sangaré also worked for several humanitarian organizations which also included the Food and Agriculture Organization in the United Nations. After her fabulous work, she was made the official ambassador of the program.