Baaba Maal

Visionary singer, cultural ambassador, epic storyteller Baaba Maal wasn’t destined to be a performer - in West African culture, the ancient griot caste traditionally produces the singers and poets, and Maal was born in 1953 in the northern Senegal town of Podor into the fisherman's caste. Growing up surrounded by music, inspired by indigenous African music, American R&B, Soul, Jazz, Reggae & Blues, he defied expectation and became a musician, challenging the monopoly the griots had on information. In the 1970s, he moved to Dakar, joining the 70-piece Asly Fouta and then performing with Mansour Seck. They spent some time in Paris, where they recorded the 1984 album Djam Leelii. Returning to Senegal, Maal formed the group Daande Lenol (‘The Voice of the People’) and developed a highly distinctive sound fusing traditional African instruments with an innovative electronic approach. 1988’s Wango was the first in a series of acclaimed solo albums including Missing You, Lam Toro and Baayo. In 2015, he recorded The Traveller for Marathon Artists with producer Johan Karlberg (The Very Best. Self Esteem) & collaborated with Mumford & Sons, reflecting his passion for adventurously blurring diverse musical forms. He is renowned as the voice of Wakanda having helped Ludwig Goransson create the sound of Marvel’s Black Panther movies. Baaba Maal's new album - Being - will be released via Marathon Artists on March 31st 2023.