Acclaimed Malian blind couple sing of harmony

DAKAR, Senegal — Thirty years after they met and fell in love through music, blind Malian singing duo Amadou and Mariam have swept onto the international stage with their soothing message of peace, harmony and hope.With a Grammy nomination, concert tours, and a flurry of media interviews, the couple have had little time for themselves since their album “Dimanche a Bamako” (Sunday in Bamako) won rave reviews in Europe and the United States last year.

“Dimanche a Bamako”, a mix of sentimental tunes and more upbeat numbers which focus on everyday African life, was produced by French singer Manu Chao. It has sold around 500,000 copies and opened doors for them all over the world.“Things have changed a lot. The concert venues are always full, we have a lot of interviews to do, we travel, we have less time for ourselves,” Amadou Bagayoko told Reuters by telephone on Wednesday from the Malian capital Bamako. “We are always working.”

Duo met at institute for blind

Amadou met Mariam Doumbia at the Institute for the Young Blind in Bamako in 1975, where they were both learning Braille.She grew up singing at weddings and traditional festivals while he played with Les Ambassadeurs, a leading Malian group, which included one of Africa’s biggest stars, Salif Keita.They married in 1980, the same year they played their first official concert together as a duo. Frustrated by the lack of opportunities, they moved to Ivory Coast for a few years, where they made cassette-only releases. The recordings gave them a following at home and in France.Dressed in traditional West African flowing robes and wearing sunglasses, they stand close during performances and their personal bond is clear.“The fact that we love each other, the fact that we are blind and we share a passion for music and a profession means that we are always together,” Amadou said.While he sings and plays the guitar, Mariam adds soulful vocals in a mix of reggae, jazz, blues and rock. The themes are simple: love, peace and justice.“We ask people to understand each other, to live peacefully together. In Africa, people live in large families so there is a need to be understood and our songs work at that,” Amadou said.“The fact that our lyrics are simple means we can be understood by everyone.”

They sing about village celebrations, Bamako taxi drivers and pan-African togetherness but also protest against corruption. but with different influences.”

Producer Chao also contributes on the album with vocals.

“We were surprised by him because at first we thought he was the big celebrity but when we met him, he was the simplest of men,” Amadou said. “It all went very well.”

The album is nominated for the “contemporary world music album” category at next month’s Grammy awards and is also nominated for the BBC World Music Awards.Known as “the blind couple from Mali” in Africa, the duo have worked to raise awareness for disabled people.

“When we decided to get married, it was complicated because our parents thought it would be difficult for us,” Amadou said. “It was hard but our determination and courage allowed us to be accepted by people. We challenged traditions a little.” 

Credit :Reuters.