Amadou & Mariam's Video Prremieres on Billboard, New album La Confusion Out Today
By: Caryn Robbins Aug. 25, 2017
Today, Billboard premieres the video for the title track from Malian musical duo and Grammy-award nominees Amadou & Mariam's La Confusion. Their highly anticipated ninth full-length LP is due September 22 on Because Music. Billboard says "The married Malian duo has tapped the unrest in its homeland as well as the world at large for its upcoming ninth album La Confusion."." Read Billboard's piece HERE and share "La Confusion" HERE. The album is now available for pre-order HERE.
Of the video Amadou says "It's about the current state of confusion that we find ourselves surrounded by. In these trying times, we often lose our points of reference and some of the values we once had. People often struggle to see the difference between what is true and what is not and don't know what to believe in anymore. We simply don't know which way to turn."
The album also includes the hit single "Bofou Safou," which Stereogum calls "the funk, the whole funk, and nothing but the funk." The band discussed La Confusion and performed new music on a recent stop at KCRW's "Morning Becomes Eclectic" during their recent sold out North American seventeen city headline tour-watch HERE. The band played major markets including New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco,Chicago, Washington D.C.,Philadelphia, Montreal.
Amadou & Mariam recently released theBofou Safou EP via Because Music. The EP includes the first two La Confusionsingles, "Bofou Safou" and "Filaou Bessame," alongside remixes of
the EP's title track by Fatima Yamaha,Africaine 808, Henrik Schwarz and more. The term "bofou safou" is a Bambara (the Malian national language) nickname given to nonchalant young men who would rather dance than work. Of the new EP, the group notes, "We really like the remixes that were made for the EP. You get to hear our music in a different form, which is great. All five remixes manage to catch the essence of our song while really pushing those enticing afro pop and electronic vibes further."
Hailing from Mali, Amadou Bagayoko and Mariam Doumbia first met as children at Mali's Institute for the Young Blind-both lost their vision at an early age. It was here that they started performing in the institute's Eclipse Orchestra, eventually marrying and began recording together in the '80s.
Over the span of three decades Amadou (guitar and vocals) and Mariam (vocals) developed an international following having recorded eight full-length albums and toured around the world. Their album Welcome To Mali (2008) was nominated for the "Best Contemporary World Music Album" at the 52nd Grammy Awards. Tour highlights for the duo include supporting U2 on their U2 360 Tour, performing at the 2010 World Cup for FIFA's Kick-Off Celebration and performing alongside major acts across multiple genres such including Blur, Coldplay and Pink Floyd's David Gilmour.
Official Website: http://www.amadou-mariam.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/amadoumariam
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amadouetmariam/
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