Oumou Sangare was born in Bamako, Mali in 1969. When Oumou was two years old, her father took a second wife and emigrated to Côte d’Ivoire, leaving Oumou’s mother, who was pregnant at the time, and their three small children. The struggle to keep the family afloat was the backdrop to Oumou’s childhood. Oumou's mother was a singer and her main source of income was the ‘sumu’ (wedding and baptism celebrations organised by women) or 'street parties' as Oumou calls them.

"My mother's still a fighter" says Oumou. “She brought up six children on her own, with no money.

Rokia Traoré is a Victoires de la Musique award-winning Malian singer, songwriter and guitarist. Born in Mali as a member of the Bambara ethnic group, her father was a diplomat and she travelled widely in her youth. She visited such countries as Algeria, Saudi Arabia, France and Belgium and was exposed to a wide variety of influences. Her hometown of Kolokani is in the northwestern part of Mali's Koulikoro region.

While the Bamana have a tradition of griot performing at weddings, members of the nobility such as Rokia are discouraged from performing as musicians.

Oumou Sangare

(Mbaye Dièye Faye)
Wawaw Waawaw Waaaaawaw!
Ah deugue le waaye ha ha hun!
Assalamoualeikoum !
Kii moy Mokobé l'enfant terrible ak Youssou Ndour ci thieeeli ak Mbaye
Dieye Faye Athia!! Waawaw... Yeksil... Mokobé

(Youssou Ndour)
Yougour yougour ! Yagar yagar !

(Mokobé)
L'étoile de Dakar Hi On y va ! Hé hé
Mbalakh Style, Yassa Style, Sénégal c'est c'est trop nekh et le nom
le plus connu c'est Ndiaye
La culture une manière de vivre et d'exister.

L'Skadrille:
C'est Salif Keita, Trésor et César,
Mali Sénégal, on va pas bouger
tu comprends ça?
C'est Salif Keita et l'Skadrille, Mali Sénégal,
on va pas bouger tu comprends ça?

Salif:
Djonaba tumana, am seguin na, farafin
seguin na (Au temps de l'esclavage, les Noirs ont souffert - texte en Bambara)

L'Skadrille:
On nous pourchasse dans les églises, retour en charter.