World renowned Malian singer, Salif Keita, will appear on Africa 360 on the eNews Channel (DStv channel 403) on Saturday 2 June at 11.30am. eNews Africa editor Chris Maroleng will speak to Keita about his musical journey, the isolation he once suffered as an albino, as well as his thoughts on the political tensions in his home country of Mali.
Keita has become one of the most popular African musicians of all time due to his breathtaking voice and his trail-blazing courage. A direct descendent of Sundiata Keita the Mandinka warrior king who founded the Malian empire in the 13th century, Keita gave up a lot to pursue his dream of becoming a musician.
Although he was isolated by his family and community while growing up because of albinism, this did not stand in the way of achieving his goal of making a mark in the music world. He has been instrumental in the fusion of traditional West African instruments with western jazz and rock, and his collaborations with Carlos Santana and Cesaria Evora have become legendary.
Keita’s most recent releases include ‘La Difference’ in which he deals with issues relating to his albinism for the first time. The singer has long been a Pan-Africanist, and has also started a foundation, the Salif Keita Global Foundation, which advocates the rights of Albinos, particularly in Africa.
Africa 360 also airs on eAfrica Channel (DStv 144) on Tuesday at 9.30pm CAT and on The Africa Channel (Sky 268) on Wednesday at 8pm GMT.
