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Babani Koné
(Mali)
Biography
Babani Koné, popularly referred to as Sirani, is among the most successful singers
of the last decade of the 20th century. Born in Segou at the end of the 1960s, her parents had no links with the
music business, but as she grew up with her grandmother Awa Koné, who was a well known griot of
her time, it was through her that Babani learned to sing at very early age. She accompanied her grandmother
at numerous ceremonies and performed in school concerts. Already in the 1980s, she was frequently invited
to sing during wedding ceremonies, and in 1984, she performed at the Biennales du Mali.
She was also invited to perform with Toumani Diabaté on the Dranouter Festival
of Folk music in Belgium in 1989. This was all well before she recorded a first album « Sanou Djala »
in 1996, that was distributed on the international market in 1998 by Stern's.
Following cassettes were again very popular in Mali, and she continues to be frequently invited for « Sumu » ceremonies, where griots sing to praise their masters (« djatigui »). In 1999, she performed at the prestigious Africolor Festival near Paris. After a period of events like a divorce, a much commented private life and subsequent problems with the press in her country, she was asked to join the Opera du Sahel project. She rejected the proposal to participate in the premiere show in Amsterdam in June 2007, alledgedly she found the remuneration too little. She continued, however, to record and release new albums, such as the 2008 album « Gnoumadon », which offers a set of classic praise songs.
Following cassettes were again very popular in Mali, and she continues to be frequently invited for « Sumu » ceremonies, where griots sing to praise their masters (« djatigui »). In 1999, she performed at the prestigious Africolor Festival near Paris. After a period of events like a divorce, a much commented private life and subsequent problems with the press in her country, she was asked to join the Opera du Sahel project. She rejected the proposal to participate in the premiere show in Amsterdam in June 2007, alledgedly she found the remuneration too little. She continued, however, to record and release new albums, such as the 2008 album « Gnoumadon », which offers a set of classic praise songs.
Babani Koné
Born: as Fatoumata Koné, in Segou
Style: mande, malinke, bambara, mandingo griot music, praise singing
Discography
| Title | Year | Label | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Babani Koné | 2020 | World Village WV 479120 / Discograph | CD / digital |
| Seyba | 2014 | Kalitex | CD |
| Gnoumadon | 2008 | Sirani Production | CD |
| Yelema | 2004 | Camara Production CK7 713 | Cassette / CD |
| Djeliya | 2000 | Production Babani | Cassette (digital release 2013 by Benbdproduction) |
| Barika | 1998 | Production Babani | Cassette (digital release 2008) |
| Sanou Djala | 1998 | Stern's Music STCD 1085 | Originally released in 1997 (Samassa Records) |
Sources
http://www.mali-music.com/Cat/CatB/BabaniKone.htm (outdated link)
http://www.mali-music.com/Cat/CatB/BabaniKone.htm (outdated link)
Page added February 2008