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Rokia Traoré
The daughter of a diplomat, Rokia Traore travelled with her family across Africa
and Europe as a child and soaked up influences from Algeria, France and Saudi
Arabia into the music of her native Mali. Inspired to play guitar after hearing
her brother's Dire Straits and Pink Floyd records, Traore followed the
traditions of the griot (an African type of troubadour) but developed a smooth,
soulful vocal style punctuated by great, impassioned wails and cries. Singing in
French, English and the West African language Bamako, she started performing
regularly while at university and tour...
