Salif Keita

Nicknamed the “Golden Voice of Africa,” Salif Keita brings his legendary sound to the Chan Centre. For more than five decades, the Malian singer-songwriter has captivated audiences worldwide with his powerful, luminous voice and pioneering fusion of Mandingue musical traditions with jazz, funk, rhythm and blues, and other global influences. With 75 albums to his name, Keita is one of the most prolific of his generation. His groundbreaking 1987 album Soropropelled him to international fame, putting Afropop on the map while continuing to influence its sound over decades. His latest release, So Kono, proved that “the Golden Voice still has it,” earning four stars from The Guardian. With five Grammy nominations and enduring hits such as “Yamore” and “Madan,” Keita’s musical legacy spans generations and continents. A descendant of Sundiata Keita, the founder of the Mali Empire, Keita was deemed an outcast from his royal family for both his albinism and his pursuit of music and is a passionate advocate for the rights of people with albinism and founder of the Salif Keita Global Foundation. Don’t miss your chance to see “one of the best African singers of the past century” (NPR) in Vancouver for his first appearance since 2011!