Overview

Sharjah Art Foundation presents one of Mauritania’s most beloved stars and foremost musical emissaries, Noura Mint Seymali for a live performance in Sharjah as part of the Sharjah Biennial 15 Music Programme.

Musical influences from the Sahara, Maghreb and West Africa come together in the work of Noura Mint Seymali, who draws on her knowledge of tradition and her skill as a griot [West African historian, praise singer, poet and musician] to create contemporary forms of Moorish music.

Raised in one of Mauritania’s most prestigious musical families, Seymali was trained from an early age as a griot by her grandmother, Mounina, and her stepmother, Dimi Mint Abba. She mastered vocal techniques and the ardin, a harp played only by women, and performed as a supporting vocalist for Abba from the age of 13. She also experimented with composing, particularly fusion music, following the guidance of her father, Seymali Ould Ahmed Vall, who created the first system for Moorish melodic composition.

The concert features Noura Mint Seymali (lead vocals, ardine), Jeich Ould Chighaly (electric guitar, tidinit), Ousmane Touré (bass) and Matthew Tinari (drums).

The Sharjah Biennial 15 Music Programme has been made possible with the generous support of Bank of Sharjah and Sharjah Government Media Bureau.

Booking and tickets

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