Salif Keita

Salif Keïta born August 25 1949 in Djoliba Mali is a Malian singer and musician He is the father of the French athlete Nantenin Keïta specialist in the 400 meters and double Paralympic champion Salif Keïta is a descendant of the founder of the Mali Empire Sundiata Keïta Suffering from albinism he dreams of becoming a teacher but is rejected because of his poor eyesight He then decides to become a singer traditionally music is reserved for the griot caste and the Keïta are a family of princes He was rejected by his family and left for Bamako in 1968 He joined saxophonist Tidiani Konés group the Rail Band De Bamako Then in 1973 he joined the group Les Ambassadeurs then he moved to Abidjan Ivory Coast In 1978 he recorded his first album Mandjou there In 1980 he recorded two records in the United States Primpin and Tounkan In 1984 he left Abidjan to return to Bamako with his family This year he is participating in the Angoulême mixed music festival He met with success with the French public and came to settle in France in Montreuil The following year he participated in the recording of a collective album Tam tam pour lAfrique for the benefit of Ethiopia In 1986 he recorded the album Soro which propelled Salif Keita onto the international scene Salif Keita took part in the Liberate Mandela concert at the Fête de lHumanité in 1985 He also took part in the Francofolies festival in La Rochelle in 1987 and in a concert organized in London for Nelson Mandelas 70th birthday In 1989 he released his second album in France KoYan His third album Amen was released in June 1991 His album Folon from 1995 is dedicated to albino children for whom he created an association In 1996 he opened a recording studio in Bamako to help young Malian musicians In 1997 he released an album Sosie composed of titles by French singers Maxime Le Forestier Michel Berger Jacques Higelin and Serge Gainsbourg performed on the kora or balafon In June 1999 he released a new album entitled Papa where he evokes his father who died two years earlier In 2001 he opened a club coupled with a recording studio named Moffou the name of a flute used by shepherd children In March 2002 an album of the same name was released On December 12 2004 in Johannesburg South Africa he was honored at the Kora Awards for his entire career Salif Keïta is a candidate in the Malian legislative elections of 2007 During the Victoires de la musique 2010 ceremony in March 2010 he won a victory in the World music album of the year category On July 19 2010 Salif Keïta was appointed Ambassador of Peace by Jean Ping President of the African Union Commission In 2014 he participated in the Esperanzah world music festival as guest of honor Salif Keïta attacks Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta on November 15 2019 and claims that jihadists in Mali are armed and financed by France On December 5 2020 he became a member of the National Transition Council of Mali In August 2023 he was appointed advisor to the head of the junta by Colonel Assimi Goïta