Mali Music - Fatoumata Kouyate alias Tata Bambo, singer

May 24, 2004

Fatoumata Kouyaté alias Tata Bambo, singer
The humble empress

She is an empress in the circle of the talented singers of Mali. She is a star among the artists of the country because the talent of Tata Bambo allows her to marry the times and to seduce the generations with her limpid voice which sounds for only those who deserve it.

Portrait of an enigmatic pioneer of the Malian music.

"Before my birth, a soothsayer told my father, Djéliba Kouyaté, that he was going to have a daughter who will have a great popularity thanks to singing. I have been this child", explains Fatoumata Kouyaté called "Tata Bambo". It was clear that the native of Niaréla (Bamako) was predestined to the brilliant career which has been hers for more than 40 years. Elegant, courteous, generous with a disconcerting frank-speech, the notoriety of Tata Bambo crossed the Malian borders since an eternity.
Moreover, it couldn’t be differently for this woman who was rocked at the mythical rhythm of the paternal n’goni; a father known not only for his talent, but also and especially by his religious enthusiasm. "It was always with the mosque. And he has always been part of the committee of management of these worship places, from the old mosque of Niaréla to the great mosque", she explains. Having done the pilgrimage this year, Tata pleasantly follows the way layout by her father.
Her mother Assétou Damba not singing, it’s one of her co-wives, Assan Damba, who occupied of the training of Tata. She made so quickly wonder in the social ceremonies that the district-troops contend with each other to have her. After the family bosom, Tata continued her training under the protection of late Falaba Issa Traoré. "He had confidence in my talent. When I missed the repetitions, he came to seek me at home and told me: you must consider singing with seriousness because I am sure that it will bring you success and happiness."
Indeed, glory precociously came to her whereas she was only 12 years because she composed and interpreted, in 1962, one of the greatest successes of the Malian music: "Bambo" a song which fustigates the forced marriage. "I requested from the parents to stop forced marriages. Young people must freely choose their spouse", she explains. It was only two years after the independence; an epoch when the traditions were still firmly anchored in the daily life. The speech was thus so revolutionary that it inspired the designer of the Code of the marriage in Mali. And its author did not except to see her life upset by that.
The first interpretation of Bambo in public took place during an official reception organized by the late President Modibo Kéita at the occasion of a summit conference of the Chiefs of state in Bamako. The audience had remained dumbfound in front of the know-how, the vocal beauty of the frail teenager; an unforgettable performance because there was no complex. "The day following my performance, the president Modibo Kéita sent someone to fetch me. He gave me an envelope of money, a real fortune at the epoch. His wife, Mariam gave me a bag full of clothes of a priceless value. I became a princess adulated by the power and the people", he remembers.
And it’s the president Modibo Kéita who personally required the integration of Tata within the instrumental Ensemble. She then shares the scene with Amy Koïta, Oumou Kouyaté, Dipa Kouyaté, Wandé Kouyaté… to write one of the more beautiful pages of the history of this ensemble. After having released a cassette with the group (Korossé kôrô), she leaves it in 1978 to carry out a solo career which enabled her to furrow planet.
"Music leads me to the four corners of the world", he says with her legendary modesty and humility. In 1984 is released her first album, "Aourou Bocoum", in homage to one of her faithful hosts. It was followed by ten. And the music of the empress did not cease improving. "I’m fond of the traditional music which is the best. But, these last years, I composed modern titles on my albums to move with the times because I also consider myself as an artist. Each generation has his tempo and his taste. It’s the artist who has to adapt", she explains.
Today, Tata shares the scene with two of her daughters: Assa Dramé (married and installed in France) and Fati Kouyaté whose first album, "Baïlo", has just been released. "It’s with an enormous pleasure that I see my daughters evolving on scene because my wish has always been that at least one of my children succeeds to me", she adds, "I’ve never gave them any directives for their career, for their choice in life. They wanted by themselves to carry out this career and I can only support them with my councils and blessings".
It should be added that the youngest child of the family, Gaoussou Kouyaté, briskly follows the steps of his father on the guitar. "I wish them more success. They have the chance to have a modest singer as mother and to be the children of one of the best guitarists of this country. It’s an asset that many of their comrades do not have. They have to take judiciously advantage of that by working instead of sleeping on the notoriety of their parents"
For her husband, Modibo Kouyaté, who’s a guitarist, the success and the longevity of Tata on scene can be explained by her modesty, her humility and her passion for the song. "She treats everyone in the same way. And money has never been a precondition in her human and professional relations. She is very attached to her dignity and honour", underlines the virtuoso of guitar. One then understands that she is adulated by her "Diatiguis" (host) and is respected by the other artists.
"Everybody knows that the singers do not get on well together. But, you will never hear that Tata has problems with a singer or an artist. She’s always above these small conflicts of jealousy or hypocrisy. But, no one should misuse that to scoff at her dignity or wrongfully attack her protégés", explains one of her hosts.
"I do not see how I can have problems with the singers who all consider me as a mother, an aunt, a sister or a friend. They all respect me and I return them this respect", underlines the celebrity.
Thanks to her experiment, her success, her humility and especially to her notoriety, Tata Bambo Kouyaté is today better placed to guide the younger generations. "I am not against the diversity of the musical experiments. But, that should not be done to the prejudice of our musical traditions. We are moving away from our musical values. At this rhythm, we are likely to lose every thing that makes our cultural and artistic pride. The culture is the soul and the memory of a nation.
It thus deserves to be jealously preserved. The young generation should not think what is made elsewhere is better than what we have in us. One can improve it without never giving up", advises our Tata at the twilight of the age of fifty. She can talk like that because she is a reference who arrived to win fame with the traditional and modern music without losing her authenticity, her heart.
The Editorial Staff

The laurel of the talent
Today, Fatoumata Kouyaté known as Tata Bambo can be proud not only of the success of her career but also especially of her prize list full of praise in more than one way. With more than ten albums including one recorded with the national instrumental Ensemble of Mali. The first album, "Aourou Bocoum", of the solo career of Tata was released in 1984.
On the level of the distinctions, the talent and merit of the diva was largely recognized. And obviously, she is empress by her since the country awarded its more prestigious distinctions to her. She was made "Knight" of the national Order of Merit on September 21, 1989 before receiving the distinction of "Officer" of the national order of merit on May 14, 1990. With the national instrumental Ensemble, Tata won, in various African and international musical competitions, ten medals including three of gold, four of silver and as much of bronze.
As we can see, the harvest is as high as the talent and the class of the inexhaustible and incomparable Tata Bambo Kouyaté.
The Editorial Staff

"No problems with Traoré Moussa"
In the Eighties, persistent rumours had circulated about a dispute with the General Moussa Traoré, the chief of State of Mali at the time. Some said that the star of the Sumus had been imprisoned by the General President. For others, she had been forced to exile to escape the dictator. And we did not miss the occasion to clear up this situation with the empress who recently received us in her coquettish villa of Djelibougou. "I’ve never had problem neither with Moussa Traoré nor with any other sovereign of this country", she specified.
In any case, this rumour did not start from nothing. According to what we knew, it is nourished by the audacity and the frank-speech of the famous female griot. "I regularly interpellated Moussa Traoré about the concerns of his people, especially during the horse-races at the race track. He has never held it against me because he was convinced that what I said louder was what the others murmured. And for this reason, he held me in esteem and respect. He made it known to me on many occasions", adds Hadja Tata.
"During the events of March 1991, people attacked my family. We have escaped to lynching by taking refuge in Senou by a hair’s breadth. If I had a disagreement with Moussa Traoré, why did his adversaries attack my family?" she questions. In any case for Tata, she has had "very good relations with all the sovereigns of Mali without seeing that turning into compromission. I consider that the griot is the voice of the people. And I want to assume this role while respecting the leaders because a president is also a citizen. He deserves to be respected".
The Editorial Staff


May 24, 2004 Fatoumata Kouyaté alias Tata Bambo, singer The humble empress She is an empress in the circle of the talented singers of Mali. She is a star among the artists of the country because the talent of Tata Bambo allows her to marry the times and to seduce the generations with her limpid voice which sounds for only those who deserve it. Portrait of an enigmatic pioneer of the Malian music. "Before my birth, a soothsayer told my father, Djéliba Kouyaté, that he was going to have a daughter who will have a great popularity thanks to singing. I have been this child", explains Fatoumata Kouyaté called "Tata Bambo". It was clear that the native of Niaréla (Bamako) was predestined to the brilliant career which has been hers for more than 40 years. Elegant, courteous, generous with a disconcerting frank-speech, the notoriety of Tata Bambo crossed the Malian borders since an eternity. Moreover, it couldn’t be differently for this woman who was rocked at the mythical rhythm of the paternal n’goni; a father known not only for his talent, but also and especially by his religious enthusiasm. "It was always with the mosque. And he has always been part of the committee of management of these worship places, from the old mosque of Niaréla to the great mosque", she explains. Having done the pilgrimage this year, Tata pleasantly follows the way layout by her father. Her mother Assétou Damba not singing, it’s one of her co-wives, Assan Damba, who occupied of the training of Tata. She made so quickly wonder in the social ceremonies that the district-troops contend with each other to have her. After the family bosom, Tata continued her training under the protection of late Falaba Issa Traoré. "He had confidence in my talent. When I missed the repetitions, he came to seek me at home and told me: you must consider singing with seriousness because I am sure that it will bring you success and happiness." Indeed, glory precociously came to her whereas she was only 12 years because she composed and interpreted, in 1962, one of the greatest successes of the Malian music: "Bambo" a song which fustigates the forced marriage. "I requested from the parents to stop forced marriages. Young people must freely choose their spouse", she explains. It was only two years after the independence; an epoch when the traditions were still firmly anchored in the daily life. The speech was thus so revolutionary that it inspired the designer of the Code of the marriage in Mali. And its author did not except to see her life upset by that. The first interpretation of Bambo in public took place during an official reception organized by the late President Modibo Kéita at the occasion of a summit conference of the Chiefs of state in Bamako. The audience had remained dumbfound in front of the know-how, the vocal beauty of the frail teenager; an unforgettable performance because there was no complex. "The day following my performance, the president Modibo Kéita sent someone to fetch me. He gave me an envelope of money, a real fortune at the epoch. His wife, Mariam gave me a bag full of clothes of a priceless value. I became a princess adulated by the power and the people", he remembers. And it’s the president Modibo Kéita who personally required the integration of Tata within the instrumental Ensemble. She then shares the scene with Amy Koïta, Oumou Kouyaté, Dipa Kouyaté, Wandé Kouyaté… to write one of the more beautiful pages of the history of this ensemble. After having released a cassette with the group (Korossé kôrô), she leaves it in 1978 to carry out a solo career which enabled her to furrow planet. "Music leads me to the four corners of the world", he says with her legendary modesty and humility. In 1984 is released her first album, "Aourou Bocoum", in homage to one of her faithful hosts. It was followed by ten. And the music of the empress did not cease improving. "I’m fond of the traditional music which is the best. But, these last years, I composed modern titles on my albums to move with the times because I also consider myself as an artist. Each generation has his tempo and his taste. It’s the artist who has to adapt", she explains. Today, Tata shares the scene with two of her daughters: Assa Dramé (married and installed in France) and Fati Kouyaté whose first album, "Baïlo", has just been released. "It’s with an enormous pleasure that I see my daughters evolving on scene because my wish has always been that at least one of my children succeeds to me", she adds, "I’ve never gave them any directives for their career, for their choice in life. They wanted by themselves to carry out this career and I can only support them with my councils and blessings". It should be added that the youngest child of the family, Gaoussou Kouyaté, briskly follows the steps of his father on the guitar. "I wish them more success. They have the chance to have a modest singer as mother and to be the children of one of the best guitarists of this country. It’s an asset that many of their comrades do not have. They have to take judiciously advantage of that by working instead of sleeping on the notoriety of their parents" For her husband, Modibo Kouyaté, who’s a guitarist, the success and the longevity of Tata on scene can be explained by her modesty, her humility and her passion for the song. "She treats everyone in the same way. And money has never been a precondition in her human and professional relations. She is very attached to her dignity and honour", underlines the virtuoso of guitar. One then understands that she is adulated by her "Diatiguis" (host) and is respected by the other artists. "Everybody knows that the singers do not get on well together. But, you will never hear that Tata has problems with a singer or an artist. She’s always above these small conflicts of jealousy or hypocrisy. But, no one should misuse that to scoff at her dignity or wrongfully attack her protégés", explains one of her hosts. "I do not see how I can have problems with the singers who all consider me as a mother, an aunt, a sister or a friend. They all respect me and I return them this respect", underlines the celebrity. Thanks to her experiment, her success, her humility and especially to her notoriety, Tata Bambo Kouyaté is today better placed to guide the younger generations. "I am not against the diversity of the musical experiments. But, that should not be done to the prejudice of our musical traditions. We are moving away from our musical values. At this rhythm, we are likely to lose every thing that makes our cultural and artistic pride. The culture is the soul and the memory of a nation. It thus deserves to be jealously preserved. The young generation should not think what is made elsewhere is better than what we have in us. One can improve it without never giving up", advises our Tata at the twilight of the age of fifty. She can talk like that because she is a reference who arrived to win fame with the traditional and modern music without losing her authenticity, her heart. The Editorial Staff The laurel of the talent Today, Fatoumata Kouyaté known as Tata Bambo can be proud not only of the success of her career but also especially of her prize list full of praise in more than one way. With more than ten albums including one recorded with the national instrumental Ensemble of Mali. The first album, "Aourou Bocoum", of the solo career of Tata was released in 1984. On the level of the distinctions, the talent and merit of the diva was largely recognized. And obviously, she is empress by her since the country awarded its more prestigious distinctions to her. She was made "Knight" of the national Order of Merit on September 21, 1989 before receiving the distinction of "Officer" of the national order of merit on May 14, 1990. With the national instrumental Ensemble, Tata won, in various African and international musical competitions, ten medals including three of gold, four of silver and as much of bronze. As we can see, the harvest is as high as the talent and the class of the inexhaustible and incomparable Tata Bambo Kouyaté. The Editorial Staff "No problems with Traoré Moussa" In the Eighties, persistent rumours had circulated about a dispute with the General Moussa Traoré, the chief of State of Mali at the time. Some said that the star of the Sumus had been imprisoned by the General President. For others, she had been forced to exile to escape the dictator. And we did not miss the occasion to clear up this situation with the empress who recently received us in her coquettish villa of Djelibougou. "I’ve never had problem neither with Moussa Traoré nor with any other sovereign of this country", she specified. In any case, this rumour did not start from nothing. According to what we knew, it is nourished by the audacity and the frank-speech of the famous female griot. "I regularly interpellated Moussa Traoré about the concerns of his people, especially during the horse-races at the race track. He has never held it against me because he was convinced that what I said louder was what the others murmured. And for this reason, he held me in esteem and respect. He made it known to me on many occasions", adds Hadja Tata. "During the events of March 1991, people attacked my family. We have escaped to lynching by taking refuge in Senou by a hair’s breadth. If I had a disagreement with Moussa Traoré, why did his adversaries attack my family?" she questions. In any case for Tata, she has had "very good relations with all the sovereigns of Mali without seeing that turning into compromission. I consider that the griot is the voice of the people. And I want to assume this role while respecting the leaders because a president is also a citizen. He deserves to be respected". The Editorial Staff