Kimi Djabaté

In the artist’s words: Describe one of your earliest musical memories in detail. I grew up in a musical family of griots, hereditary singer-poets whose songs of praise and tales of history and legends play an essential role in Africa’s musical life, so I have been surrounded by music since I was born. Find a song of yours on Apple Music that you love and tell us what makes it special. Tell us why you chose this song. “Yensoro” "Dindin" means "Children" and it is the title song for my album coming out in 2023. I sing “Don’t exploit children / Help children become better human beings / Don’t exploit children / Educate them.” What’s one of the most memorable moments in your career so far? A few years ago, I was contacted by the famous pop star Madonna. She was living in Lisbon and wanted to learn more about African music. We recorded the song "Ciao Bella" together and have been friends ever since. Is there anything left on your bucket list as an artist or band? I look forward to touring the world and performing in countries such as the United States, the UK, Japan and other places where I have not yet shared my music.