Sayon Camara

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Sayon Camara
Born
NationalityGuinea
Other namesTaramakhè
Occupationsinger
Known forSinging and UNESCO Artist for Peace
SpouseMamadou Cissoko[1]

Sayon Camara or Taramakhè is a Guinean singer. She was chosen in 2003 as the first African UNESCO Artist for Peace.

Life[edit]

Camara was born in Faranah.

Her Malinke music is said to be "in line with the Mandingo art of the great griots".[2] She and other musicians (including her husband) recorded her first album in Cote D'Ivoire at a studio in Abidjan. The 1998 album, Dinguiraye, established her reputation in Guinea and she earned the nickname "Taramakhè (town agitator)" because of her extravagant concerts.[1] The following year she sang at UNESCO headquarters as part of the Félix Houphouët-Boigny Peace Prize ceremony[2] when the Community of Sant'Egidio were awarded the prize.

In 2002 her second album, "Saramaya" was again recorded in Abidjan[1] and she also returned to UNESCO headquarters and the Félix Houphouët-Boigny Peace Prize ceremony[2] when President of East Timor Xanana Gusmão was awarded the prize.[2] At the party to celebrate her album Saramaya she was given two cars and a house by her fans.[1]

She was chosen as a UNESCO Artist for Peace in 2003.[2] She was the first African to be given this role.[3]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d "Frank Bessem's Musiques d'Afrique: Sayon Camara". www.musiques-afrique.com. Retrieved 2020-02-04.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Sayon Camara | United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization". www.unesco.org. Retrieved 2020-02-04.
  3. ^ "Biographie de Sayon Camara". Last.fm (in French). Retrieved 2020-02-04.