Though there was no ceremony, the great songstress of Malian music has been presented with the French Sacem Grand Prix by singer Aya Nakamura for her acoustic album that blended modern vocals with traditional instruments. Now, the much-loved diva has released the video for “Kamelemba” from the album.
With a career spanning more than 20 years, the Malian singer and composer stands tall as a woman of considerable experience. In 2017, Oumou Sangaré received the WOMEX Artist Award, an event in support of the development of international stages based in Berlin, one of the most important events for music professionals. For this new award, which she received from New York, where she has been stuck since the beginning of confinement, she posted a new video showcasing her acoustic version of “Kamelemba,” the second single from the Mogoya, which wasreleased in 2018 and the first track from Acoustic released this summer.
You can hear Benogo Diakité’s n’goni which blends perfectly with Malian Guimba Kouyaté’s guitar. “The song talks about the dangers of falling in love with show-off artists and smooth talkers. Those who use women and make them sad,” explains Oumou. “I wrote this song to tell our sisters to be careful because there is a lot of kamelemba everywhere.” Yet Oumou’s song is also based on her sense of humour: “In African music, we often like to make ourselves wanted. In African music, we often like to be wanted. We light each other up, but it’s not malicious. That’s what you have to understand, it’s all to be taken lightly. I accuse the men, but others will say, ‘Women do the same,’” she explained at the premiere for the track.
