Les Amazones d'Afrique

Les Amazones d'Afrique is a contemporary world music supergroup formed in Mali in 2015 featuring Kandia Kouyaté, Angélique Kidjo, Mamani Keita, Rokia Koné, Mariam Doumbia (of Amadou & Mariam), Nneka, Mariam Koné, Massan Coulibaly, Madina N'Diaye, Madiaré Dramé, Mouneissa Tandina and Pamela Badjogo.[1] The name of the group refers to the Dahomey Amazons, which was a female elephant hunting group and a military regiment from the 17th century through the 19th century in what is now Benin.[2]

Les Amazones d'Afrique
Les Amazones d'Afrique during the recording of their album République Amazone in Bamako, Mali in 2016.
Background information
OriginMali, Benin, Gabon, Nigeria, Guinea, France, Algeria, Ivory Coast
GenresWorld music
Years active2014–present
LabelsReal World,
Associated actsAngélique Kidjo, Nneka, Oumou Sangaré, Amadou & Mariam
Websitelesamazonesdafrique.com
Members
  • Mamani Keïta
  • Rokia Koné
  • Fafa Ruffino
  • Kandy Guira
  • Niariu
  • Nacera Ouali Mesbah
  • Ami Yerewolo
  • Jon Grace
  • Boy Fall
Past members

Les Amazones d'Afrique performed their first concert at Fiesta des Suds in Marseilles in October 2015.[3] The first track they released was "I Play The Kora", a track that goes well beyond the often-reductive term of "world music". Its message is to encourage women coming together to sing about why they should "rise up and fight injustice because we're all equal", and profits from the sale of the track are be donated to The Panzi Foundation, led by Doctor Mukwege in Bukavu (DRC), which has provided healing support to more than 80,000 women, nearly 50,000 of whom are victims of sexualised violence and female genital mutilation.[4] The kora, a harp-like instrument native to West Africa, works as a metaphor: playing the kora was denied to women for years; only men were allowed the prestige.

Following their first UK performance at WOMAD Charlton Park in July 2016, Les Amazones d'Afrique were signed to Real World Records for the release of their first album, Republique Amazone (2017).[4]

Discography
  • République Amazone (2017)
  • Amazones Power (2020)
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References
  1. "3DFAMILY – Booking, Management & Publishing". www.3dfamily.org (in French). Retrieved 2017-02-07.
  2. Römpötti, Harri (15 March 2017). "Afrikan voimanaiset käyvät naisten kokemaa väkivaltaa vastaan – nimekäs yhtye esiintyy Helsingissä" [‘Les Amazones d’Afrique fight violence that women experience — the renowned group performs in Helsinki’]. Helsingin Sanomat (in Finnish). Helsinki: Sanoma. pp. B 1–2. Retrieved 1 August 2019.
  3. "Les Amazones d'Afrique à la Fiesta des Suds". France Inter (in French). 2015-09-29. Retrieved 2017-02-07.
  4. "Real World Records". realworldrecords.com. Retrieved 2017-02-07.
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