Abu Dhabi: In an unforgettable African rhythms concert, one of Africa's most loved musicians Habib Koité rocked the capital on Thursday night.
With his band Bamada, the Malian musician performed several of his new and old songs at Al Dhafra Theatre at the Cultural Foundation in Abu Dhabi as part of the year-long programme, World Stage, organised by Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage (ADACH), which features the best of contemporary world music and dance.
At the beginning of the concert, Koité said the whole group was excited to visit Abu Dhabi for the first time. "We were waiting to visit this part of the world for a long time... and we are here."
Koité is one of the most popular and recognised African musicians. He has released more than 250,000 albums, sold around the globe. He appeared on the popular television show Late Night with David Letterman. He recorded a duet with Bonnie Raitt on his 2002 album Silver Lining. And he has nearly a thousand concerts on some of the world's most prestigious stages to his credit.
For about two hours Koité performed on his guitar and sang with his band that played on Malian instruments.
It is a unique style that he draws from different regions of Mali, integrating the rock and folk sounds of the Western world, without watering down his cherished Malian roots.
Koité, who was called "Mali's biggest pop star" by Rolling Stone, signed his new album Afriki Afriki after the concert where he interacted with his fans and chatted with them.
