Baaba Maal - Being

Visionary singer, cultural ambassador, epic storyteller and Senegal superstar Baaba Maal grew up inspired byindigenous African music, and the American R&B, Soul, Jazz, Reggae and Blues it influenced.Born to a family offishermen, he defied expectation to become a musician, challenging the traditional monopoly the ancient griot castehad on information and music.

Since first making albums in the early 1980s he has developed a highly distinctive sound radically fusing traditionalAfrican instruments with an increasingly adventurous electronic approach. He has released a series of acclaimed soloalbums and recorded with an increasingly varied range of collaborators including Brian Eno, Radiohead producer JohnLeckie and Damon Albarn.In 2015, he recorded The Traveller for Marathon Artists with producer Johan Hugo (The Very Best, Self Esteem) andcollaborated with Mumford & Sons, reflecting his passion for blurring diverse musical forms.

In 2018 he was featuredon the soundtrack of Black Panther, and establishes himself as the Voice of Wakanda in the sequel, 2022's WakandaForever.His new album, Being, released in 2023, is a powerful continuation of his pioneering, transcendent work over the lastforty years blending the ancient and the modern.

Continuing his exciting partnership with Johan Hugo, it was recordedin Brooklyn, London and Senegal and confirms Maal's position as one of the most uniquely compelling musicians in theworld.About Being, Baaba says; Each song of this album has its own personality, which is something that I always want in arecord, songs that all have really strong personality. Because for me, a song is like a person. It has a life, it has a name, it has a character, and it has a position in life. And I think what makes this album so powerful is that it is totally aboutnow, and where I am now, and the dreams I have of the past and the future.