WOMAD

Daby Touré

From Mauritania

There’s being a solo artist and there’s being Daby Touré. For instance, take Stereo Spirit, the Mauritanian singer-songwriter’s recent and rather wonderful Real World album. Not only was Daby the sole producer, he also played every single note, whether on trademark soft guitar or various percussive instruments. His singular mindset dictates this approach – “It was really important for me to express exactly what I needed to express,” he offers. “I never met anyone I could share that with.” As a performer, he’s got plenty to say and doesn’t rely solely on the centuries-old traditional music of his native West Africa as his canvas. Having lived in Paris for 20-odd years (having moved there with his father, a member of heavyweight 1980s outfit Touré Kunda), his music is a sharp reflection of the man he is now. “I am African but I am also European. I feel that in my music too. My songs are about giving people an emotion, making them feel good, just for a few moments.”