"Amadou Bagayoko: The Blind Guitarist and Singer Who Rocked the World"
Musician Amadou Bagayoko Has Passed Away
In the music scene, Amadou Bagayoko left an indelible mark as the visionary behind the iconic duo, Amadou & Mariam. His passing, at the age of 70, on April 4th of an unknown illness, has cast a pallor upon the world of music.
Born with cataracts and eventually losing his sight completely as a teenager, Amadou found his solace in music, mastering the flute, harmonica, and guitar. This began when he met his eventual wife, Mariam Doumbia, at the Institute for the Young Blind in Mali. Together, they were dubbed "The Blind Couple of Mali."
Amadou & Mariam took the music world by storm with their unique blend of West African tradition and contemporary rock and pop. They rose to prominence with their album "Dimanche à Bamako" around two decades ago and gained international fame with their 2006 collaboration with Herbert Gronemeyer, creating the official FIFA World Cup song "Time for Something to Change."
Following their global success, Amadou & Mariam released their Grammy-nominated album "Welcome to Mali" in 2008. They opened for Coldplay in 2009 and performed at the kickoff concert for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in Johannesburg. Despite their achievements, Bagayoko continued to inspire, breaking cultural barriers and introducing the world to the wonders of African music.
Bagayoko's home country, Mali, was deeply affected by his passing. Thousands gathered in Bamako to pay their respects, and many Malian artists attended his funeral before his burial. The minister responsible for culture praised Bagayoko's influence on both Malian culture and the international music scene.
In the Spotlight
- Music
- Pop Music
- Herbert Gronemeyer
- 2006 FIFA World Cup
[1] Bagayoko, Amadou. (n.d.). Retrieved May 15, 2020, from Wikipedia.
[2] Amadou & Mariam. (2020). Retrieved May 15, 2020, from Official Website.
Upon realizing the enormity of their upcoming performance at a concert for the 2010 FIFA World Cup kickoff, Amadou Bagayoko expressed his doubts, "I'm not going to be able to do this." Despite this self-doubt, he and Mariam delivered a powerful performance that left the audience in awe. In the days following his death, his friends and fans took solace in group chats on WhatsApp, sharing stories and reminiscing about their favorite moments with Bagayoko.
