Around the World: Amadou & Mariam interview
We speak with one half of Malian duo Amadou & Mariam about collaboration, and representing Mali on the world stage
This interview with Amadou & Mariam was intended to coincide with their show at Celtic Connections. Unfortunately, COVID restrictions resulted in the show's cancellation, but the festival itself is soldiering on, with a selection of gigs going ahead at venues across Glasgow. Visit celticconnections.com/whats-on for up-to-date details on this year's programme...
When Amadou Bagayoko met Mariam Doumbia at Mali’s Institute for the Young Blind in 1970, he wasn’t just meeting his life partner, but his musical soulmate. In the five decades since, Amadou & Mariam have gone from local favourites in the Bamako live music scene to global stars and Grammy nominees, building a contacts list that few can compete with along the way.
After moving to Paris in 1996, their music – up until that point a dusty, streamlined version of the desert blues tradition of Mali and surrounding countries – began to expand to include rock guitars alongside diverse instrumentation from across the world. They befriended world music connoisseur Manu Chao in the early 2000s, who went on to produce their 2004 album Dimanche à Bamako, earning them major international acclaim and recognition. Three further albums have cemented them as among Africa’s most popular artists and have seen them share stages with names as intergalactic as Stevie Wonder, U2 and Coldplay, as well as being invited to play at the opening of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.
Ahead of the duo’s planned performance as part of the 2022 Celtic Connections festival, The Skinny caught up with Amadou Bagayoko to discuss the possibility of a new record on the horizon, the perks of collaboration and his reflection on the responsibilities that come with representing their culture around the world.
The Skinny: It's been four years since the release of your last album, La Confusion. With the live dates coming up, are you getting ready to release a new record?
Amadou Bagayoko: Yes, we are currently working on some new tracks that we would like to release in 2023. Despite the confinement, we have had the chance to work on some collaboration tracks, with North American duo Sofi Tukker on the song Mon Cheri, and with Spanish duo Fuel Fandango on the song Ruido. We are currently working on some new collaborations and videoclips.
Your last album was inspired by the political turmoil in your home country at the time. Is the new material also going to tackle serious subject matter like that?
We are always inspired by the things that happen next to us. We listen to the news, the radio, and our community.
You have described every new album you make as having its own colour or tone. Do you have a sense of the colour of the new songs?
We are in a very initial step yet to tell you the whole vibe, but for sure it will be very rootsy and with some traditional sound. This is a long process, and you know, we are always open to new inspirations and fusions.
You have collaborated with a lot of great artists and producers. What are the advantages of working with others?
Indeed, we are very thankful and glad for all the collaborations we have done during our professional career. It is a great way to learn, share and create new things. This last year we did four collaborations and last week we filmed two new videoclips that will be coming out early January with United Nations (The Sahel Song) and with French rapper Hös Copperfield.
You have been one of the best known and most respected names in African music for a long time now. Do you feel any pressure not to move too far away from the traditional Malian music that you started out making in the 1980s?
Actually no, because it’s part of our own music, this is our distinctive sound, identity. We always try to keep our essence, to base our sound from the tradition but give it our personal touch.
Now that you have an international audience, do you feel a responsibility to talk about issues that are currently affecting your home country and people, to bring the story to a wider audience?
Well, our music is based on what happens, about life, about love, about family and friends. We always like to send a message in our music; with La Confusion, we wrote songs about what was happening in our country, things that we were concerned about. We are aware that being public figures, our message reaches more people. So we have always taken that into account when we write our songs or participate in international cooperation projects etc.
When you first started getting booked in Europe and North America after the success of Dimanche à Bamako, did it come as a surprise to you? Was it always the aim to have that kind of global success?
I think every artist wants their music to reach as many people as possible. We make music because it's our driving force, it's what we like. Throughout our career we have worked very hard and today we can be happy and satisfied that we have a very wide and international audience.
What has been the best part of bringing your culture around the world? Have there also been challenges that you wouldn’t have expected?
We are honoured to be able to represent our culture around the world. It fills us with pride and responsibility. We have always treated things with respect so we have had no complications in that sense.
Who are some new artists that you are currently excited by?
Our playlist is very eclectic, we like traditional music but also mainstream artists like Rihanna, Led Zeppelin, Stevie Wonder. Regarding new artists, we like Aya Nakamura and Black M.
Over the years, you have played with artists like U2, Blur and Coldplay. What did you take away from those experiences?
Indeed, we have had the opportunity to meet and work with many artists throughout our career. These experiences are very important, as it is a time to share, listen and learn. One can be inspired by everything from a word or a sound. The exchange of collaborations makes the experience even more enriching.