Sona Jobarteh hails from a griot family and is the only female kora virtuoso on both sides of the Atlantic. A multi-instrumentalist, singer, composer and producer, her new album Fasiya translates as heritage and draws on Jobarteh’s connection to her west African tradition. Songs like Jarabi, a love song from Mali, shows her ability to take an old song and add her own interpretation. Saya, a track about love is haunting and soothing to Musow, which talks about the role of women in West Africa. This is a song that means a lot to Jobarteh on a personal level because it is rare to find women who traditionally play the kora. Fasiya weaves intricate traditional sounds from West African culture with global influences. It takes you on a cultural and spiritual journey and evokes the dynamic energy of an artist with great things ahead.
