Oumou Sangaré is one of the biggest artists to emerge from West Africa since the '90s. Fearlessly tackling a wide range of gender and social issues, "The Songbird of Wassoulou" is deeply respected as a musician and humanitarian in her native Mali and beyond. Her 1990 debut, Moussolou, was a significant local hit, and it led to getting picked up by the World Circuit label, home also to Mali's Ali Farka Touré, who assisted in her signing. Sangaré has collaborated in a variety of contexts with the banjo maestro Béla Fleck, and her 2009 album Seya was nominated for a GRAMMY®.