Kandia Kouyaté

Kandia Kouyaté (also known as Kandja Kouyaté, born in 1959 in Kita, Mali) is a Malian jelimuso (a female griot) and kora player; she has earned the prestigious title of ngara, and is sometimes called La dangereuse and La Grande vedette malienne. Kouyaté's dense, emotional, hypnotic manner of singing and her lyrical talents have earned huge acclaim in Mali, though she remained relatively little known outside Africa, due to extremely limited availability of her recordings. Her home town of Kita is known for love songs, which form a large part of Kouyaté's repertoire. She also sings praise songs.

Background Kouyaté's father, a balafon (West African xylophone) player himself, did not want her to go into music and wanted her to rely on a solid education instead of the unpredictability of a musical career. Secretly, she learned from her mother and other family members how to sing and began performing occasionally at private gatherings. As a young girl, she began singing with her uncle Mady Sylla Kouyaté in his popular dance band, The Apollos, in Bamako.

Kouyaté's journey with The Apollos began when she was 16 years old. While still in school, her father fell ill and could no longer work, leaving the family struggling to make ends meet. In an effort to support them, Kouyaté joined the group. The Apollos' unique sound blended traditional, contemporary, local, and international influences, offering her the opportunity to not only help her family but also showcase her powerful contralto voice. Her unique sound brought an added depth to the group's music, helping to elevate their popularity and broaden their appeal.

Career Kouyaté's solo career began in the early 1980s. She used "female choral vocals accompanying her," in the background of her performances. The practice was later picked up by stars like Mory Kante and Salif Keita, and is now an "integral part of Malian music."

As her reputation spread around West Africa, her music attracted many rewards for public and private appearances. Cassette locales are not made for the market, but many copies end up there such as Kouyaté's Moyomba which was recorded during a 1980 performance in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire. Kouyaté made four cassette locales which, while popular in Mali, went unheard outside of West Africa. Many record companies were eager to sign her, but she rejected all offers.

Kandia Kouyaté toured Europe in 1999 alongside Guinean singers Sekouba Bambino & Oumou Diabate and with a 12 piece West African ensemble that included kora, djembe, ngoni, balafon, bass, keyboards, backing vocals and percussion. The tour named as 'The Griot Groove Tour' included concerts in Germany, Austria, Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom.

In 2003, Kandia Kouyate toured Ireland, spreading her music, and officially launcing the FeileAfrica Movement in Cork City. The movemenet was a project to foster greater understanding, appreciation and integration of African culture in the Irish society. Kouyate noticed that there was a large African dispora in Ireland and sought to create a festival that was deeply committed to celebrating African heritage and fostering cross-cultural dialogue.

Personal life Kandia Kouyaté suffered a stroke in late 2004. Her recovery was slow and challenging as she hardly spoke and did not sing at all.