Amadou and Mariam, also known as "the blind couple from Mali", are representatives of the music of their homeland and worldbeat. They met for the first time at the Institute for the Young Blind People in Mali, where they played for the institute's Eclipse Orchestra, when they realized their shared love for music. They married in 1980 and released their first album in 1998.
In the album Dimanche à Bamako (2004), they collaborated with Manu Chao, who approached them really excited when he heard their music on the radio. The album was one of the most successful and award-winning African albums of all time. In 2008 they collaborated with Damon Albarn on the album Welcome to Mali, and have appeared in many well-known music festivals (Coachella, Lollapalooza, Glastonbury, etc.).
Four years, then, after their last album, Amadou & Mariam will continue the successful partnerships in a new record. It's called "Folia" and will be released early April by Because Music. This time they're working with artists such Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Santigold, TV On The Radio and Thelonius London.
The first single is 'Dougou Badia', with the participation of Santigold and you can hear it below.
A few days before the official release of the album they released the video for the song 'Wily Kataso' in which participate Kyp Malone and Tunde Adebimpe of TV On The Radio. See below the video, directed by Jennifer Delia and filmed in New York.