Rokia Koné

Rokia Koné (born January 1, 1984)[1] is a Malian singer-songwriter and member of female musical collective Les Amazones d'Afrique, who is sometimes referred to as "the Rose of Bamako".[2] She sings in her native Bambara language, and draws from various Malian musical traditions, including the music of the Segóu region where she grew up. Currently she is based in the Malian capital city Bamako, where she performs regular shows at a number of well-known music venues.[3]

Rokia Koné
Koné during a photo shoot in Dakar, Senegal, 2021
Background information
Born	(1984-01-01) January 1, 1984
Origin	Dioro, Mali
Genres	Bamana
Occupation(s)	Singer
Labels	Real World Records
Associated acts	Les Amazones d'Afrique
Website	rokiakone.com

As a child, Koné was introduced to music through her grandmother, uncles and aunts. She began her musical career when she moved to Bamako and became a chorus singer for Malian artist Alia Coulibaly, whom she credits with teaching her the skills of performance and stage-craft.[3]

In 2016, Koné met Valérie Malot, owner of French-based artist touring agency 3D Family, who invited her to join the West-African supergroup Les Amazones d'Afrique. She toured throughout Europe with the band in 2016, including performances at major music festivals such as WOMAD Charlton Park.[4]

In 2017, Koné was a featured vocalist on several tracks of Les Amazones d'Afrique's debut album République Amazone, which was a critical success. The album made The Guardian's Top 50 Albums of 2017[5] and President Barack Obama selected one of the songs from the album for his Top 20 favourite songs of that year.[6] Following the album's release, Koné toured with the band once again in France, the United Kingdom and several countries across Europe.[7]

In May 2018, Koné made her British TV debut on BBC Two's long-running live music show Later... with Jools Holland on which she performed the song 'Mansa Soyari' with Les Amazones d'Afrique.[8]

Koné also featured on several songs of Les Amazones d'Afrique's second album Amazones Power, which was released in January 2020.[9]

As a member of feminist activist band Les Amazones d'Afrique, Koné uses her music to promote gender equality and stand up for the rights of women and girls. Her lyrics address Malian women and often offer advice to them in the face of everyday struggles.[10]

On October 27, 2021, Koné's debut album BAMANAN — a collaboration with Irish-born, California-based rock producer Jacknife Lee — was announced for release on Peter Gabriel's music label Real World Records in February 2022.[11]