Mali's Amadou and Mariam Celebrate Five Decades in Music

19 September 2024
Afropop Worldwide (New York)

Mali's Grammy-nominated Afro-rock sensation, Amadou and Mariam, once billed as "The Blind Couple of Mali" have had a big year this year. They recently played a cover of a Serge Gainsbourg song at the closing ceremony of the Paris 2024 Paralympics. Go to the two-hour mark in this video to see it.

Then, on September 6, they released a celebration of their nearly 50-year career, La Vie Est Belle: The Best of Amadou and Mariam. The album highlights the couple's legacy as arguably Africa's most famous duo. From their unlikely beginnings meeting at a school for the blind in Mali, they have risen to amazing heights, paving the way for rock-oriented African acts, and working with the likes of Manu Chao, who produced their celebrated 2005 album Dimanche a Bamako, and French hip-hop producer Ever Mihigo, who reworked A&M's hit "Beaux Dimanche" especially for this new collection.

These two videos provide a taste of the timeless music on this landmark release.

Read the original article on Afropop.

Tagged:
Copyright © 2024 Afropop Worldwide. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.

AllAfrica publishes around 500 reports a day from more than 110 news organizations and over 500 other institutions and individuals, representing a diversity of positions on every topic. We publish news and views ranging from vigorous opponents of governments to government publications and spokespersons. Publishers named above each report are responsible for their own content, which AllAfrica does not have the legal right to edit or correct.

Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica. To address comments or complaints, please Contact us.