Savoy WORLD: Oumou Sangaré
Oct 9, 2025 | 7:00 pm
Kasarmikatu 46-48, 00130 Helsinki
Grammy winner, African music superstar, women’s rights champion and iconic singer Oumou Sangaré returns to Finland after a 16-year break!
The long wait will be rewarded when the legendary Malian singer Oumou Sangaré’s tour finally comes to Helsinki as part of the Savoy WORLD concert series.
Sangare, who grew up in poverty, was drawn to women’s issues at a young age: when Sangaré was only two years old, her father left, leaving her mother to raise four children alone. Little Oumou’s exceptional singing ability was noticed when she was only five years old, and after the release of her debut album Moussolou, Sangare’s career skyrocketed internationally. The Grammy Award-winning singer has since collaborated with Alicia Keys, Beyoncé and Herbie Hancock, among others, and performed on the world’s most prestigious concert stages, from the Sydney Opera House to the Queen Elizabeth Hall in London. Her deep and nuanced singing voice and charismatic stage presence have taken people by storm worldwide, including in Finland in 2009.
Success has not made Sangaré forget her background, and gender equality continues to be a theme that is strongly present in her songs. She has also been appointed a United Nations Goodwill Ambassador, and as one of the most famous singers on the African continent, she uses her fame to promote African values and raise awareness of Wassoulou music.
Wassoulou music is a genre of West African folk music that originated in the Wassoulo region of southern Mali and has since become deeply rooted in Malian culture. In addition to a strong vocal tradition, the music includes the string instruments n’goni and kora. The music style is characterized by catchy rhythms and melodies that are often associated with everyday life, such as agriculture, family life, and traditional customs. Oumou Sangaré, also called the queen of Wassoulou, is the most famous representative of the style and has contributed significantly to its development by combining blues and rock influences.
Her latest album, Timbuktu, was released in 2022 to rave reviews.
“Music is a part of me”, says Sangaré.
“I’ve invested everything in this album – my entire life, during which I’ve experienced humiliating hunger, poverty and fear. My life, from which I draw glory today.”
Come and experience an unforgettable concert with the magnificent Oumou Sangaré!
Concert duration: approx. 1.5 hours, no intermission.
*****
Savoy WORLD: Oumou Sangaré concert was rescheduled from September 19th 2024 to October 9th 2025 at 7 pm. The tickets that have already been purchased will be valid for the new event date as they are.
