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Baker's Dozen

Heal Your Soul: Fatoumata Diawara's Favourite Music
Adam Quarshie , April 29th, 2020 09:09

Acclaimed Malian musician Fatoumata Diawara talks Adam Quarshie through her favourite records, explaining the influence of powerful female vocalists from both the United States and from Mali's Wassoulou region.

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Coumba Sidibé  - Wari
This song is very blue, it makes me cry a lot. The bass line is very heavy. It's like facing yourself, facing your problems and your issues: Who are you? What are you looking for? What would you like to achieve? This is song is very important to me. I still listen to it, when I'm not feeling good. 'Wari' means 'money'. When you make money, you can really forget your past. You can forget your mum, you can forget your father. You can become someone else. The lyrics are very deep. It's advising you: money is good but never forget where you come from, never forget your soul, never forget your spirit, your family. Be yourself.
 Women are used to talking about society, children, our husbands, emancipation, money. They teach you to be humble, to go back to your roots. Never be somebody else, fight to be yourself. It's a good message for what we're doing, always being in a different hotel, taking the plane everyday. I needed those women.