Fatoumata Diawara by Youri Lenquette
Fatoumata Diawara
– Malian pathbreaker
I can’t think of a single female musician in Mali with a sound like yours and certainly not a female guitar player and singer. What made you decide to take up the guitar?
The decision came one day before a show. My guitar player cancelled and I didn’t have anyone to replace him at such short notice. Another musician told me to just play myself, so I did. Since then I play every day.You must have had strong positive and negative responses to your musical path. From family, friends, when you play in Mali and the expatriate community in France. Can you tell us more about that?
I’ve only had positive responses to my music from my family, friends and other people. In particular I get a very positive response from Africans, not just from Mali. I have of course had negative experiences in other aspects of my music but I have learned to transform these negative experiences into positive ones.Before we got to know you as a musician, you had a successful career as an actor. What made you switch to music? Have you carried anything over from acting into the music you make?
I decided to switch from acting to music after touring with Dee Dee Bridgewater. When she was on stage something magic happened, it was like a transformation. She forgot all of her troubles. I had many conversations with both Dee Dee and Oumou about becoming a musician and I decided that I wanted to share what I have with the world. It’s a lot to do with sharing.You’ve played some huge gigs already. I remember seeing you looking out at a packed Royal Albert Hall alone on stage and thought how brave you were. What has the last year been like for you, with all the touring and promotion?
It was a very important experience for me. It helped me a lot. I like to challenge myself. I think it’s important to do this. I wasn’t nervous before but when I got onstage I was surprised to see so many people. It made me laugh. I like to surprise myself.It’s been good to talk to all of the journalists over the past year. It’s great because many of them have listened to my songs and have got in touch with them in different ways, so they all have different questions.
It’s a great debut album. What are you saying with your music, what makes it personal and unique to you?
Thank you! I am saying all sorts of different things with my music. All of the subject matter comes from my own experience, from the difficult times I have had in the past. I never create anything – I just try to be in touch with myself.Also on another level is it unique to me because I write and sing in Bambara, the language from my village and the language of my grandparents. What makes it unique to me even more is that I use the language in my own personal way, unlike anyone else.
How did you get picked up by World Circuit? Your label is better known for working with older, classic bands and less for breaking new artists.
I was a backing singer for Oumou. We were recording with Herbie Hancock on the imagine project andNick Gold was there. Oumou told nick about me. It surprised him and me how well it worked. I think it’s important that World Circuit is interesting to young people.Tell us more about your connection with Oumou Sangaré
I met her through Cheikh Tidane Seck. He invited me to do backing vocals on Seya. I was 8 months with Oumou. I learned a lot. We were both aware that it was just for experience and that I wasn’t going to stay with her for the long term. It was an important education for me and Oumou taught me a lot and gave me a lot of encouragement. She was surprised that I was able to listen to her because my generation sometimes think they know everything. We are in touch a lot. I love her, she is my second mother.Lastly, what would you say to a young Malian girl who wanted to be a musician like you?
I think my life has become an example to lots of people in Mali. I would say to her ‘it is possible, just doit, don’t sit and wait’. I would encourage her to develop her own opinion about her life think about what she wants to do.Fatou’s debut album Fatou is out on 19 September 2011 and her next UK gig is at the Jazz Café on 13 October
Play0.00 / 3.15More info here: http://www.worldcircuit.co.uk
Find Fatoumata on Facebook http://on.fb.me/mNO27q
New EP out now: http://bit.ly/jEV9ki