About Mah Damba
Born 1965. Mah Damba is a Malian singer, griot and musician.
Mah Damba (born Mah Sissoko in Bamako, Mali, 1965) is a traditional griot singer. She comes from a family of griots: her father, Djeli Baba Sissoko (not to be confused with the younger musician Baba Sissoko), was a griot and her aunt, Fanta Damba, is also considered a top vocalist.
Early in her career, she was part of Kassemady Diabaté's ensemble, and later was part of Mandé Foli. She recorded two solo albums, Nyarela (Buda/Musique du Monde) in 1997 and Djelimousso, Mali: The Voice of the Mande (Trema/Sony) in 2000, as contributed three tracks to The Divas from Mali (World Network) in 1998. In 1999, she contributed vocals to one track on composer Jonathan Elias' international choral project, The Prayer Cycle.
Her band is composed of traditional instruments, such as the ngoni (played by her husband Mamaye Kouyaté), kora (played by Djeli Moussa Diawara) and bala (played by Lansiné Kouyaté).
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Important facts
People in Mah Damba's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Mah Damba's
Frequently asked questions
Who is Mah Damba?
Malian musician
When was Mah Damba born?
Mah Damba was born in 1965 in Bamako.
What is Mah Damba's occupation?
Mah Damba is a singer, griot and musician.
What nationality is Mah Damba?
Mah Damba is Malian.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Mah Damba. https://biography.guide/mah-damba/
MLA: "Mah Damba." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/mah-damba/.
Chicago: "Mah Damba." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/mah-damba/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
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