This four-disc box of ’80s college rock sounds like its compilers sequenced it by throwing the I Ching. How to follow the Smiths’ “This Charming Man,” you might wonder? Simple: change! To ...

As the daughter of a Malian diplomat, Rokia Traoré grew up hopping around the globe, moving from Belgium and France to Algeria and Saudi Arabia. But nothing quite prepared her for a sojourn to the ...

When war broke out in the West African nation of Mali last year, one of the targets was that country's ancient music tradition. As Islamist rebels occupied northern Mali, they banned music and shut ...

Rokia Traoré, a young singer from the African nation of Mali, is creating a sensation among world music fans, reminding audiences anew of her country's rich music heritage and depth of talent.

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Blending traditions and consistently confounding expectations, Malian singer Rokia Traoré is much more than just another global soul Before meeting Rokia Traoré, I had her pigeonholed as a very modern ...

If African music is reaching out to a broader – and younger – music-loving audience, with Amadou and Mariam and Tinariwen's rising popularity, the Malian star Rokia Traoré can only broaden the appeal.

Rokia Traoré has changed direction, yet again. Her last album, Beautiful Africa, was her most commercial, rock-influenced set to date, memorable for its blend of energy, anger and fine, personal songs ...

Rokia Traoré's latest album is titled Beautiful Africa. When war broke out in the West African nation of Mali last year, one of the targets was that country's ancient music tradition. As Islamist ...

Rokia Traoré presents an entirely different role model for an African female singer. She reflects on her Malian tradition and sings exclusively in her native language, Bamanan, which she chose because ...