Amadou & Mariam

Eleven years ago, the musicians offered Slovenian audiences a very special experience – a concert taking place in total darkness, allowing the listeners to experience the music in the same way they do; both the artists turned blind when they were very young. The couple's lyrics are thought-provoking, and their music lies at the mesmerizing intersection of Bambara traditions, rock, blues, Afrobeat, Cuban rhythms, rumba... Their distinctive eclectic style blends Mariam’s sweet vocals and Amadou’s gutsy guitar playing; where Mariam was influenced by Mali’s ancient jeli tradition, Amadou found inspiration in the guitar riffs of Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton and the bands Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin. Over the past decade, the Grammy nominees (album Welcome To Mali) have released several hit albums and singles, solidifying their reputation as two of the African continent’s biggest musical stars.