The talented King of the Blind

By Ntombizanele Thangayi

“Amadou Bagayoko, born October 25, 1954 in Bamako, is one half of the visually impared duo of Amadou & Mariam. Bagayoko, has never allowed his visual challenges to affect his music”, said the source.

The source added “Bagayoko is known as the global pop star, as he became the biggest thing to come out of the West African country of Mali since Timbuktu was an exotic medieval trading outpost. He uncovered his musical ability as a little child, mastering an assortment of percussion instruments at the tender age of two”.

Bagayoko mentioned “I lost vision at the age of 16 and I have never allowed that to stop me from doing what I truly love, which is music and composing it”. And those words gives hope to those who are disable that they are able to follow their dreams.

Bayoko mentioned that his music is different and has different genres, it has a bit of African, Tishoumaren, Afro-Funk, Pop, and Electropop to accommodate everyone.

Bagayoko with a bold voice mentioned “I figured out how to play the harmonica and the flute when I was ten. Yet, the instrument that truly got my consideration was my uncle's guitar and, as a youthful adolescent experiencing childhood with a sound eating routine of Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, John Lee Hooker and Eric Clapton, I pledged I would turn into a guitar legend myself one day”. He added “Other than listening to universal rock greats, I likewise opened my ears to Cuban music and neighbourhood home-grown ability from my hometown.

Amadou Bagayoko performed in the 17^th Annual Cape Town International Jazz Festival (CPIJF) 2016 along with his wife and musical partner (Miriam Doumbia) at the Kippies stage on Friday 1^st April 2016 from 20:15-21:30 the source mentioned “the crown went crazy as they hear the magical voices and brilliant performance from the blind couple from Mali. Amadou’s performance left a mark to everyone who saw the performance and the fact that even if you are disable you can still be as successful as you want’. And mentioned “all you need to do is to push and do what you love and do best and the crowd felt so inspired about Amadou and Miriam’s performance”.

On the 2^nd of April 2016 Amadou attended a CTIJF press conference. Bagayoko mentioned that he has been married to his wife/musical partner for 40 years, and that they travel together, they write their songs separately and combine the work when they’re both done and that he is always happy to be around young people and believes that young people are the future.

Amadou once wrote “being blind was the worst thing that could happen to you in Malian society. It was tantamount to being a beggar.”