Famed Malian singer Fatoumata Diawara to perform at Purdue

Fatoumata Diawara Download Photo

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Malian singer Fatoumata Diawara will perform at 8 p.m. Feb. 8 at the Lafayette Theater in a show presented by Purdue Convocations.

Woody Guthrie, Bob Dylan and Joan Baez. Bob Marley, Miriam Makeba and Fela. These legendary musicians - among others - harnessed the power of song to promote political change and human rights. The power of "three chords and a guitar" has long been celebrated for its persuasive potential, and 31-year-old singer and guitarist Fatoumata "Fatou" Diawara joins that great tradition, lifting the human spirit out of war-torn Mali. Singing in "Bambara," the principal dialect of southern Mali, Fatou wraps messages of support for women, orphaned children and the cessation of war inside songs that transcend language barriers.

Diawara carries the torch for a proud tradition of Wassoulou - the culturally vibrant area of Mali from which she hails - that strong female voices have the power to speak to, and change, the world around them. On "Fatou," her debut on Nonesuch Records, Diawara's warm, affecting voice winds its way around her intricate guitar and percussion arrangements. Now, with audiences growing around the world (including the 2013 edition of Bonnaroo), Diawara is driven by what's always been at the center of socially conscious folk - the hope that, with persistence, change can come.

General admission tickets are $24 for adults and $16 for those 18 years and younger, Purdue students and Ivy Tech Lafayette students. Tickets are available at the Elliott Hall and Stewart Center box offices at 765-494-3933 or 800-914-SHOW. Group discounts are also available to groups of 10 more. Call 765-496-1977 for more details or visit http://www.convocations.org/group-sales/

Initiated in 1902, Purdue Convocations was one of the first professional performing arts presenters in the United States. Each year, Convocations offers the region 20-30 performances of widely varying genres. Purdue Convocations aims to promote frequent exposure to and familiarity with human cultural expression in a multitude of forms and media. 

Source: Abby Eddy, Purdue Convocations director of marketing, 765-494-9712, aeeddy@purdue.edu 

Note to Journalists: Publication-quality photos are available at http://www.convocations.org/press