I am particularly moved because this is the very first time I am performing in South Africa - Fatoumata Diawara

This project means a lot to me. To be involved in the protection of the Timbuktu Manuscripts is a huge honor. Conditions for men and women in Mali are very different, and for a woman to be involved in this cultural preservation is very important. It is unbelievable to be a part of it and it feels like a dream. I’m so proud and so happy.I’m very in touch with my ancestral past. Many of the visuals and ideas I use come to me in my dreams, dreams about my ancestors. To be given a chance to help protect our ancestral and cultural legacy is so special to me.

I believe it’s a decision an artist must make from the very beginning of their career. The way you present yourself to your audience is what they will remember. For instance, if you start your career singing in English or French, that’s what your audience will associate with you, and they won’t want you to do anything else. From the start, I decided that I wanted to be the continuation of all those great African women: Miriam Makeba, Angélique Kidjo, Oumou Sangaré... All these singers made themselves heard around the world while staying true to themselves. These women always sang in their respective African languages, and they always remained loyal to and proud of their African culture. They always presented themselves as African singers, nothing else. They’ve won Grammys and many other awards with this African identity.

Yes, but you have to put things in a positive way. It's true. We want to change the image of Africa, because we've been realizing that only we ourselves can change Africa. Nobody can do it for us. People try, because they love us, but only we can change things. We understand that we should stand up and try to write our own story.