Oumou Sangaré

Oumou Sangaré is a famous singer from Mali.

She sings songs from a place called Wassoulou. Her music often uses a gourd instrument.

She started singing in the streets to help her mother. At five years old, she won a singing contest. She even sang for many people in a big stadium.

Oumou writes her own songs. She sings about love and marriage. Her songs also help women have more rights.

She is a star in many lands. She has won many big awards for her music. She even won a Grammy Award.

Oumou is also a business woman. She owns a hotel in the city of Bamako. She works hard to help others.

Oumou Sangaré is a famous singer from Mali.

She is called "The Songbird of Wassoulou." This is a region in Mali. Her music comes from old songs. Some of her songs use a calabash. This is a musical gourd.

Oumou began singing in the streets. She did this to help her mother. At age five, she won a singing contest. She sang for thousands of people. Later, she went on a big tour. She visited many countries like France and Germany.

She makes her own music. Her songs talk about love and marriage. She also sings about women's rights. She wants women to have more freedom. She is a star in many lands. She won a Grammy Award in 2011.

Oumou is also a business woman. She owns the Hotel Wassoulou in Bamako. She helped build the hotel herself. She wants to show women they can work hard. She also helps the United Nations. She works to help people with food and farming.

Oumou Sangaré is a famous singer from Mali. People often call her "The Songbird of Wassoulou." This name comes from a special region south of the Niger River. The music in Wassoulou comes from very old traditional songs. Many of these songs use a calabash, which is a musical gourd. Sangaré uses her music to share important messages. She writes and composes her own songs about love and marriage. She also sings about women's rights and social issues.

Her life as a singer started very early. She was born in 1968 to singer Aminata Diakité and Sidiki Sangaré. To help her mother, she began singing in the streets. At just five years old, she won a singing contest in Bamako. She performed for thousands of people at the Omnisport stadium. When she was 16, she went on a big tour. She traveled to France, Germany, and the Netherlands. She even visited the Caribbean. These trips inspired her to start her own musical group.

Sangaré became a star through her many albums. Her first big album was called Moussoulou, which means "Women." It was recorded with a music maestro named Amadou Ba Guindo. This album was a huge hit in Africa. It sold more than 200,000 copies. Later, she signed with a label called World Circuit. She released other albums like Ko Sira in 1993 and Worotan in 1996. In 2010, her album Seya was even nominated for a Grammy Award.

She has won many important awards for her talent. In 1998, France named her a Commander of the Order of Arts and Letters. She won the UNESCO Prize in 2001. In 2011, she won a Grammy Award for her work on the song "Imagine." This song was with Herbie Hancock and other famous singers like Pink and Seal. She also won the Artist Award at WOMEX in 2017. This award recognized her music and her work for women's rights.

Oumou is much more than just a singer. She is also a smart businesswoman. She owns the 30-room Hotel Wassoulou in Bamako. She helped build the hotel herself. She wants to show women that they can work to make their lives better. She is even involved in agriculture and automobiles. She helped launch a car called the "Oum Sang." She also serves as a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations. She uses her voice to help people all over the world.

Oumou Sangaré is a celebrated Malian singer of Fula descent. She is widely known as "The Songbird of Wassoulou." This title refers to the Wassoulou region located south of the Niger River. The music of this region is rooted in ancient traditional songs. These musical traditions are often accompanied by the calabash, a musical gourd. Sangaré is not just a performer; she is a composer and an advocate. She uses her music to address social criticism. Her songs frequently focus on the status of women in society. She explores themes of love and the freedom of choice in marriage.

Sangaré's career began with a very early talent for performance. She was born on February 25, 1968, to singer Aminata Diakité and Sidiki Sangaré. In 1970, her father moved to Abidjan, Ivory Coast. This left Sangaré and her siblings in the Malian capital, Bamako. To support her mother, Sangaré sang in the streets. She left school at an early age to pursue this work. Her professional journey started in 1973. At age five, she won a singing competition in Bamako. She then performed for several thousand people at the Omnisport stadium. By age 16, she toured internationally with the percussion group Djoliba. This tour included stops in France, Germany, the Netherlands, and the Caribbean.

Her recording career reached major milestones through specific albums and collaborations. Her first album, Moussoulou, which means "Women," was recorded for Samassa Records. She worked with the renowned Malian music maestro Amadou Ba Guindo on this project. The album was a massive success across Africa. It sold more than 200,000 copies. Following this, the musician Ali Farka Touré helped her sign with the English label World Circuit. This partnership led to the re-release of Moussoulou. Sangaré released several other notable albums through World Circuit Records. These include Ko Sira in 1993 and Worotan in 1996. Her discography also features Laban, the compilation Oumou, and the 2017 album Mogoya.

Sangaré has earned many prestigious international honors for her artistry and advocacy. In 1998, she was named a Commander of the Order of Arts and Letters of France. She won the UNESCO Prize in 2001 for her contributions to music and peace. In 2010, her album Seya received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Contemporary World Music Album. She achieved a Grammy win in 2011 for Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals. This was for the song "Imagine," a collaboration with Herbie Hancock. The project featured many famous artists, including Seal, P!nk, and Jeff Beck. In 2017, she received the Artist Award at WOMEX in Katowice, Poland. This award recognized both her musical skill and her advocacy for women's rights.

Beyond the stage, Sangaré is a significant figure in business and social activism. She is an advocate for women's rights. She specifically opposes child marriage and polygamy. Sangaré also manages various business interests, including agriculture and automobiles. She helped launch a car named the "Oum Sang." This vehicle is manufactured by a Chinese firm and marketed through her company, Gonow Oum Sang. She is also a property owner in Bamako. She owns the Hotel Wassoulou, which has 30 rooms. She helped build the hotel herself. She intended the hotel to serve as a model for women. She wants to demonstrate that hard work can improve one's life.

Sangaré also holds important roles in global organizations. In 2003, she was named a Goodwill Ambassador for the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations. She uses this platform to support causes for women globally. However, she maintains a clear distinction between art and politics. She has stated that artists are free to speak their minds. In contrast, she believes politicians must follow instructions from higher authorities. Her influence extends into film as well. In 2022, she took her first acting role. She played the grandmother in the film Hawa, directed by Maïmouna Doucouré.

Her musical legacy is connected to broader cultural studies and global collaborations. She appeared in the 2008 documentary Throw Down Your Heart. This film follows American banjo player Béla Fleck. The documentary explores the connection between the banjo and African musical traditions. Sangaré's work continues to bridge different musical worlds. She has performed at major global venues like the Melbourne Opera and the Roskilde Festival. Her career shows how traditional regional music can reach a worldwide audience. Through her songs and her business, she continues to promote the empowerment of women.