I know. I know, but for now, on the cultural side, it's a really good connection for Africa. Because my audience is not only Malian people. They come… - Fatoumata Diawara

Female artists are fighting to exist. For sure we have a lot of female musicians in Mali but most of the time the projects and their music belong to men – husbands, producer, management. Musically we are not always free. I hope in the future there will be more female artists who can express themselves freely and compose instead of just singing.

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.

For now, no, because I take time to write things. I like to be direct, but very honest. That type of writing. People can feel that it's a done in a very respectful way. And it’s for the best of the country and the continent.