Amadou and Mariam
Documentary 'The Blind Couple from Mali'
Dutch premiere – of a film highlighting the dance music of the blind musical duo Amadou & Mariam from Mali, from performing in the Festival Mundial in Tilburg in 2008.
Singer/guitarist Amadou Bagayoko and singer Mariam Doumbia met at the institute for the blind in Bamako, Mali, and became inseparable, as both life partners and musicians. They stayed inseparable until Amadou’s death in 2025.
They began performing together in Africa n 1980 and from 1985 onwards in France and at world music festivals worldwide. Their real breakthrough came in 2005 with their album “Dimanche à Bamako,” produced by Manu Chao. In 2008, they headlined the Festival Mundial in Tilburg.
Amadou & Mariam perform a blend of Malian traditional music and Western pop. Amadou’s “cluttering” guitar sound and danceable rhythms are particularly striking.