Fatoumata Diawara

Fatoumata Diawara — musician, dancer, and actress — was born in Côte d’Ivoire to Malian parents, spent part of her childhood in Mali, and now lives in France. A guitarist and a singer-songwriter, her music stems from the Wassoulou traditions of Mali even as it dips into the multicultural influences of her varied career, which has included singing back-up for the likes of Dee Dee Bridgewater, Flea, and Oumou Sangaré. Expect to see Fatou warm up into the didadi dance during her set, a high-energy, flailing dance from Wassoulou. Sponsored by Women of Lotus; IU African Studies Program