MUSICIANS from Mali

Top 2

The following people are considered by Pantheon to be the most legendary Malian Musicians of all time. This list of famous Malian Musicians is sorted by HPI (Historical Popularity Index), a metric that aggregates information on a biography’s online popularity.

1. Salif Keita (1949 - )

With an HPI of 57.97, Salif Keita is the most famous Malian Musician.  His biography has been translated into 45 different languages on wikipedia.

Salif Keïta (IPA: [salif keita]) (born 25 August 1949) is a Malian singer-songwriter, referred to as the "Golden Voice of Africa". He is a member of the Keita royal family of Mali.

2. Toumani Diabaté (1965 - )

With an HPI of 43.63, Toumani Diabaté is the 2nd most famous Malian Musician.  His biography has been translated into 26 different languages.

Toumani Diabaté ( too-MAH-nee jah-BAH-tay; born 10 August 1965) is a Malian kora player. In addition to performing the traditional music of Mali, he has also been involved in cross-cultural collaborations with flamenco, blues, jazz, and other international styles. In 2006, the London-based newspaper The Independent named Diabaté one of the fifty best African artists.