(headline image: Songhoy Blues, Oumar Touré, Aliou Touré and Garba Touré – Photo by Kiss Diouara)
Songhoy Blues emerged in 2013 with a distinctive sound and commanding stage presence. Their music intertwines Malian pentatonic scales, rock-driven rhythms, raw vocals, and intricate guitar work.
The band’s name reflects their Songhoy heritage, an ethnic group from northern Mali along the Niger River. Their music is rooted in desert blues, a genre shaped by generations of Songhoy musicians.
Since their 2015 debut, Music In Exile, Songhoy Blues has achieved significant milestones. They have collaborated with Damon Albarn, Iggy Pop, and Nick Zinner, performed at Glastonbury’s Pyramid Stage, and appeared at major festivals worldwide. Their high-energy shows have captivated audiences at Royal Albert Hall (as part of Nile Rodgers’ Meltdown Festival), and legendary New York venues such as Max Fish and Union Pool.
Beyond music, Songhoy Blues engages with social and humanitarian causes. They appeared in the award-winning documentary They Will Have to Kill Us First, which explores the effect of Mali’s civil war on musicians. As WaterAid ambassadors, they advocate for clean water access, and their performance at the UN Climate Action Summit in Central Park underscored their commitment to global issues. They were also featured in The Imperial War Museum’s ‘Culture Under Attack’ exhibit, highlighting the resilience of artistic expression in conflict zones.
Through their music and activism, Garba Touré (guitar), Aliou Touré (vocals), and Oumar Touré (bass) channel personal and collective experiences into a message of resilience, unity, and celebration.
Their 2025 album, Héritage, expanded the band’s scope to include traditional grooves, instrumentation, and vocal styles from across Mali’s diverse ethnic traditions. In addition, Héritage topped the North American NACC Charts for February 25, 2025.
Discography:
Music In Exile (Transgressive Records, 2015)
Résistance (Transgressive Records, 2017)
Optimisme (Transgressive Records, 2020)
Heritage (Transgressive Records, 2025)
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.