Montreal-based messenger of Mandinka traditions, Djely Tapa, enlists electronica to pay extra respect for the deep history of the griots of her Malian birthplace.
She grew up in a family of musicians, singers, storytellers and dancers; elements now suffused into her songs that, in the griot way, carry her ruminations on contemporary issues into the Quebecois cultural landscape, a space she first entered in the group Afrikana Soul Sister.
In 2019 she moved forward with her debut album, Barokan, produced with Afrotronix mastermind Caleb Rimtobaye; a shimmering mix of new electronic textures and timeless Mandinka expression that earned her a Juno Award for Best World Music album in 2020. A self-defined proud Quebecer of Malian origin, she was awarded the Prix Opus for Inclusion and Diversity by the Conseil Québécois de la Musique in 2021.
Text > Womex
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