Amadou Bagayoko of Acclaimed Malian Duo Amadou & Mariam Passes Away at 70

Amadou Bagayoko, the co-founder of the Grammy-nominated duo Amadou & Mariam, has died at the age of 70 in Bamako, Mali. He lost his sight at 15 and formed a successful musical partnership that introduced Malian music to a global audience. They garnered critical acclaim and performed worldwide, including notable festivals and venues, marking a significant influence in the world music scene.

Amadou Bagayoko, the renowned singer and guitarist of the Grammy-nominated Malian duo Amadou & Mariam, has passed away at the age of 70. His death occurred in Bamako, Mali, as confirmed by the country’s Minister of Culture, Mamou Daffé, who announced the news on state television. Although his family mentioned that he had been unwell for some time, the specific cause of his death has not been disclosed.

Bagayoko lost his sight at the age of 15 due to a congenital cataract. He pursued music at Mali’s Institute for the Young Blind, where he formed a connection with his future wife and musical partner, Mariam Doumbia, who had been blind since she was five. The duo performed extensively in Mali during the Seventies and Eighties before achieving success in Europe in the mid-Nineties.

As Amadou & Mariam, they popularized Malian music on the global stage, earning accolades from international stars such as Stevie Wonder, David Gilmour, and Damon Albarn. Albarn played a significant role in their success, contributing to their Grammy-nominated 2009 album “Welcome to Mali” and inviting them to perform with Blur during the band’s reunion.

Bagayoko’s distinctive playing style blended Malian music with Western rock influences, earning him a place on Rolling Stone’s list of the 250 Best Guitarists. He once noted, “People are often surprised when we explain how much we were influenced by Western pop music… that’s because they were the only records we had in Mali!”.

For over two decades, Bagayoko and Doumbia were prominent figures at major music festivals worldwide, including Glastonbury, Coachella, and Lollapalooza. They also opened for major stadium tours featuring bands like Coldplay and U2, broadening their audience considerably.

Their latest albums include 2012’s “Folila,” which featured multiple collaborations, and 2017’s “La Confusion.” In September 2024, they were scheduled to perform at the closing ceremony of the 2024 Summer Paralympics in Paris, where they would present a rendition of Serge Gainsbourg’s “Je suis venu te dire que je m’en vais.”

Amadou Bagayoko’s passing marks the loss of a significant figure in world music. As a pillar of the duo Amadou & Mariam, he greatly influenced the fusion of Malian and Western musical styles. Their contributions to international music and their ability to cross cultural boundaries through art will be remembered. His legacy continues to resonate through their impactful performances and recordings.

Original Source: www.rollingstone.com