- I was initially gobsmacked at just how good Fatoumata was on her guitar when, apparently, she'd only picked the thing up on someone else's prompting after she moved to France to work as an actress, just a couple of years before recording this album. I understand now that she was previously recording on a Malian six-string harp, the kamalen n’goni which might help explain a bit of that talent, which, not to take anything away from her - she has in spades. Interestingly it is the guitar schtick which sets her apart from other Malian stars, most of whom have been on the World Circuit label roster as well; that and also, unlike Toumani Diabate or Ali Farka Toure, rather obviously, she's a woman. It seems, for a while at least, Diawara was trying to westernise her sound - adopting the guitar and even trying to disguise her accent in performance. Somewhere along the line she must've given up on that, because she's it's fairly clear that she's singing in her native Wassoulou. Still there's a very happy meeting of the western tradition of the guitar slinging singer-songwriter and the complex harmonies and funky rhythms of Mali. In some ways it's a shame not to know what she's singing about - although Wassoulou has a very lyrical quality. She writes some pretty hard hitting material about a womens' rights in Africa relating to marriage, female circumcision and forced adoption. At least that's what I've been told - I haven't been able to find a translation! Even if, thus, I'm forced to feel a little bit inauthentic in my enjoyment, I am enjoying Fatou rather a lot.