Rokia Traoré

The daughter of a diplomat, Rokia Traore travelled with her family across Africa and Europe as a child and soaked up influences from Algeria, France and Saudi Arabia into the music of her native Mali. Inspired to play guitar after hearing her brother's Dire Straits and Pink Floyd records, Traore followed the traditions of the griot (an African type of troubadour) but developed a smooth, soulful vocal style punctuated by great, impassioned wails and cries. Singing in French, English and the West African language Bamako, she started performing regularly while at university and toured with Ali Farka Toure before releasing debut album Mouneissa in 1997. Mixing the hypnotic rhythms of Africa with electric guitar riffs and ancient instruments, her follow-up Wanita (2000) was named as one of the critics albums of the year by the New York Times and Bowmboi (2003) won her a BBC3 World Music Award. Recognised as a leading star of African and World Music, Traore took part in Damon Albarn's Africa Express project in 2012, played with Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones on the soundtrack to the play Desdemona and worked with PJ Harvey's producer and guitarist John Parish on acclaimed fifth album Beautiful Africa (2013).