Rokia TRAORÉ

Mali

Rokia Traoré © Danny Willems

Born in Kati, Rokia Traoré grew up between Mali, Europe and the Midde East. She started writing aged just 12 and the Bambara language translations became some of her first songs. Hailed as an African revelation in 1997 thanks to the success of her first album Mouneissa, she followed up with Wanita (2000), Bowmboï (2003), Tchamantché (2008) and Beautiful Africa, her most recent album, released in 2013. In keeping with the ideal of universality that had always governed her, Rokia Traoré contributed to the 2005 show, "Billie and Me" devoted to Billy Holiday, featured on the soundtrack to the film Kirikou and the Wild Beasts, reinterpreted Mozart (Wati for Peter Sellars’ New Crowned Hope project) and worked with Toni Morrison on Desdemona in 2012. She is currently recording her next album, slated for 2016.

Jury attendance

  • Member Feature films, 2015