Music fans have expressed their shock and Bafflement at the appointment of Mali’s much-beloved Salif Keïta – known as the Golden Voice of Africa as a special adviser to coup leader Col Assimi Goïta.
The 73-year-old might be in semi-retirement and eclipsed nowadays by Afrobeats stars, but he was one of the pioneering giants of a generation that put African music on the global map.
After 50 successful years in the music industry, he remains influential, admired, and well-known.
Keïta mixes traditional Mandé music with jazz, blues and Western music styles and was nominated several times for a Grammy for his infectious melodies and powerful voice.
He has albinism – and he has campaigned tirelessly against discrimination.
Source: BBC