Oumou Dioubate comes from Kankan, Guinea. Her mother, Gnamakoro Kante was a well known singer, and Oumou began singing at the age of 7. When the mother suddenly died Oumou, then 13, took her place in the traditional "Kankan Ensemble". The teenager then married a relative who was a...
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Oumou Dioubate comes from Kankan, Guinea. Her mother, Gnamakoro Kante was a well known singer, and Oumou began singing at the age of 7. When the mother suddenly died Oumou, then 13, took her place in the traditional "Kankan Ensemble". The teenager then married a relative who was a teacher and musician, and the couple moved to Conakry, Guinea's capitol. There they formed the band, Les Messagers de Morfing, and Oumou developed a more modern singing style. Oumou Dioubate decided to go her own way and, in the mid 1980s, relocated to Paris. It was there that she had her breakthrough as a backing singer for Ismael Lo, on his "N'Diawar" album. The producer Ibrahim Sylla heard her and decided to make a solo album with her "Lancey". The album was a great success in Guinea in the 90’s when, after a long pause, it was finally released. The reason for the delay was Oumou Dioubate's provocative lyrics. She sings, among other things, that she will perform a traditional dance - naked - in order to become pregnant. When she returned from Paris it was impossible for her to live together with her husband. She earned sufficient money from "Lancey" to enable her to buy a new house for herself and her child.
Oumou Dioubate is a much discussed and disputed artist in Guinea and has had to withstand many rumors and personal attacks for her modern and open style.
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