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 wil… - Fatoumata Diawara

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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.