Log in
Donate

Talent

Songhoy-Blues-Optimisme-scaled_gr4cuk.jpg

0.000

Songhoy Blues

  • Social media:

Biography

Songhoy Blues began playing on the Bamako club circuit, attracting both Songhoy and Tuareg fans. In September 2013, Africa Express, a group of American and European musicians and producers led by Damon Albarn, visited Bamako to record an album of collaborations. The band auditioned successfully and were introduced to Nick Zinner, the American guitarist of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. They worked with Zinner to record “Soubour,” meaning patience.[5] The track was released in December 2013 on Maison Des Jeunes, the 2013 Africa Express compilation.[3][6] Following the success of “Soubour”, the band returned to the studio with Zinner and co-producer Marc-Antoine Moreau to work on an album. Their debut album, Music in Exile, was released on Transgressive Records in February 2015 and on Cult Records, via Atlantic Records, in North America in March 2015.[7] It received “universal acclaim” according to the review aggregating website Metacritic.[8] Robin Denselow, writing for The Guardian, described the album as “an impressively varied and rousing set”, and named Songhoy Blues “[a] band to watch”.[9] In the NME, Kevin EG Perry described the album as “a masterpiece of desert blues; blending American guitar licks with Malian groove”.[10] The band were nominated for “Best New Act” at the 2015 Q Awards and as “Independent Breakthrough Act” at the 2015 AIM Awards.[11][12] They supported Alabama Shakes at the Beacon Theatre in New York, and were subsequently called “insistent and determined but also headed for the ecstatic” in a review posted by The New York Times[13] They have also supported Julian Casablancas and Damon Albarn and in 2015 appeared at numerous festivals including Glastonbury Festival, Bonnaroo Festival, Latitude Festival, Roskilde Festival, Austin City Limits and Green Man Festival. In 2016 they played at Byron Bay Bluesfest and WOMADelaide in Australia and Green Man Festival and The Great Escape Festival in the UK. At the Royal Albert Hall for Later… with Jools Holland’s 25th anniversary, they played two songs with tenor saxophone player Tunday Akintan. On August 5, 2020 Songhoy Blues announced their new album, Optimisme would be released on October 23, 2020 through Fat Possum Records. The same day they released their new single “Badala.”

News / Ranking / Titbits / Awards

Songhoy Blues is a desert blues music group from Timbuktu, Mali. The band was formed in Bamako after being forced to leave their homes during the civil conflict and the imposition of Sharia law.[3] The band released its debut album, Music in Exile, via Transgressive Records on February 23, 2015, while Julian Casablancas’ Cult Records partnered with Atlantic Records to release the album in North America in March 2015. The group is one of the principal subjects of the documentary film They Will Have To Kill Us First.

Interested in this talent?

Get in touch with us to help you get started

Fill this form

Our Partner and Supporter

Together, we're building a legacy of inspiration and opportunity.

Air-Peace-Stack-Blue_200305_154114
Piggyvest-Stack-Blue_200304_153734
Ibom-Air-Stack-Blue_200304_154259
kuda-Stack-Blue_200304_154345