Traoré was born in Kolokani, Mali as a member of the Bambara ethnic group. As her father was a diplomat, she travelled widely in her youth travelling to Algeria, Saudi Arabia, France and Belgium. As a result of this travel, she was exposed to a wide variety of influences.
The Bambara also had a tradition of griot performing at weddings although members of the nobility such as Traoré are discouraged from performing as musicians. Traoré attended lycée in Mali when her father was stationed in Brussels and started performing publicly. As well as guitar she plays ngoni (lute) and balafon.
In 1997 she linked with Mali musician Ali Farka Touré which raised her profile. She won a Radio France Internationale prize as African discovery of 1997, an honor previously won by Mali's Habib Koité in 1993.
Her first album Mouneïssa (Label Bleu), released in late 1997 in Mali and 1998 in Europe, was acclaimed for its fresh treatment and unqualifiable combinations of several Malian music traditions such as her use of the ngoni and the balafon. It sold over 40,000 copies in Europe.
In 2000, her second album Wanita was released. Traoré wrote and arranged the whole album. The album was widely acclaimed with the New York Times nominating it as one of its critics' albums of the year.
Her 2003 album Bowmboï has two tracks recorded with the Kronos Quartet but still sung in the Bambara language, and was awarded the prestigious BBC 3 World Music Award. As of 2005, she has been nominated three times for this award.
In 2008, her latest album "Tchamantché" was released.
ADDITIONAL READING:
Singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Rokia Traoré’s Beautiful Africa will be released on April 1, 2013, by Nonesuch Records in France and April 8, 2013 in Europe, Canada and USA. The record was produced by English musician John Parish (PJ Harvey, Eels, Sparklehorse) and recorded at Toybox Studios in Bristol, UK. Its lyrics are sung in the Malian–born Traoré’s native languages of French and Bambara, as well as some English.
Pitchfork described Traoré’s most recent record, 2009’s Tchamantché, as “a guitar album of a particularly understated bent...hauntingly spare yet ridiculously well-defined, the timbre and tone of every string presented in perfect resolution.” And the BBC World Service called it “One of the best albums of the year. An absolute stunner.” Tchamantché also won a Victoires de la Musique (the equivalent of a Grammy Award in France) and a Songlines Artist of the Year Award for Traoré.
The daughter of a Malian diplomat who was posted to the US, Europe, and the Middle East, Traoré studied sociology in Brussels before embarking on her musical career. Although based in Bamako, Traoré has, for her son’s safety, temporarily relocated to Paris due to the current conflict in Mali. Her music draws upon her homeland’s traditions as well as the European and American rock and pop she has listened to throughout her life.
Traoré has explored a breadth of directions in her career. She recently collaborated with Nobel Prize–winning novelist Toni Morrison and MacArthur “Genius” Grant winning director Peter Sellars on the theater piece Desdemona. The piece premiered in Vienna in the summer of 2011 and received its New York premiere at Lincoln Center that fall; its UK premiere was at the Barbican in London in the summer of 2012. The Guardian called it “a remarkable, challenging and bravely original new work.”
The Barbican also produced a three-night series of shows by Traoré that summer, entitled Donguili – Donke – Damou (Sing – Dance – Dream). For the Sing evening, held at the Barbican, Traoré and mandolinist/former Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones joined young musicians from Traoré’s training program in Mali, Foundation Passerelle. Dance, at the Village Underground rock club, featured Traoré and her band playing the high-energy, danceable shows she is well known for—joined by Parish on guitar. And for Dream, which took place in an East End theater, Traoré narrated an ancient Malian tale, with occasional musical interludes. Australia’s Sydney Festival also presented Donguili – Donke – Damou in January 2013. Traoré was awarded the inaugural Roskilde Festival World Music Award in 2009 for her work with Foundation Passerelle.
In the autumn of 2012, Traoré joined Damon Albarn’s UK train tour Africa Express, performing scheduled concerts in Middlesbrough, Glasgow, Manchester, Cardiff, Bristol, and London as well as pop-up performances at railway stations, schools, factories, offices, shopping centers, and private homes. Other musicians on the tour included John Paul Jones, Amadou Bagayoko, Baaba Maal, and Paul McCartney.
N’Téri
Rokia Traoré Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Kèn fè n'djoko djoukou kan
Né mara n'djoko niouman niouman ni kélén kélén kama
N'to n'damala o bélé béléba
Né bo woussaya, sanou ni wôri yé
Dowgodo nion djoukouya
Dowgodo nion missinia ba
O tè diya to môkôyala
Wa ni bè yé gwanssan yé
Djonti djon na kan bali
Djon ti djon na kan bali
An bè nan nakan bè ni ta wati
Ya dé yé barosso yé to yôrô tè
Kounou kèla dô nièna
Bi sôkômada djona fô lo kô
Bi bè kè dô nièna
Sini fadjiri to sôrô an tchèla
Dounia da no ma dé
Ma bi télé kè
I ti djon nion télé kè habada
Moun dé yé ni diniè diya
Baro douman
Moun dé yé ni diniè diya
Bin ni kélén nia
A ni gnon guèniè koun
Fô dô ka kè kaman yé
Ni djama bèla djèlin kèla woro yé
O siki ti diya
Fô dô ka nalow
Ni djama bè la djèlén kékouniara
O baro ti diya
N'téri ntéri
An tounbè baro douman mounou kè o sandjana
Ni né yé miri , walahi ko bè na wakati
djon bè na konôfô niôkon
Bê ni kanou ba
N'téri ntéri
An toun bè goundoba mounou dow o sandjana
Ni né yé miri, walahi ko bè na wakati
Djon bè na kokènion
Bê ni kanouba
N'téri n'téri
An toun tè baro douman kè wa
N'téri n'téri
An tountè môkô ya sira tama
N'téri n'téri
An toun tè djè ka fô kè wa
Ni né yé miri, walahi ko bè na wakati
Djon bè na kônô fô nion
Bê ni kanouba
Ti ka doloki ni dow kana
Mon amour bè ni térini
Dolokini mi dow ko yi minè
Mon chéri m'bè fôli ki yé
Ti ka doloki ni dow kana
Mon amour bè ni térini
Dolokini mi dow ko yi minè
Mon chéri m'bè fôli ki yé
Wa i tolowlé, i tolowlé, i tolowlé, i tolowlé, i tolow
Tolow mi ma sôbè sa olé nô diniè diya
Wa i tolowlé, i tolowlé, i tolowlé, i tolowlé, i tolow
Tolow mi ma sôbè sa olé nô diniè diya
N'téri niouman ni i niè djô nièrô
An bè nionfê wa kadi
N'téri niouman ni i niè djô nièrô
An bè nion fè wan ti nion djoukouya
N'éri niouman ni i niè djô nièrô
An bi niôkon fè wan ti nion kéléya
N'éri niouman ni i niè djô nièrô
Eh an bi nionfè wa kadi
Wa i tolowlé, i tolowlé, i tolowlé, i tolowlé, i tolow
Tolow mi ma sôbè sa olé nô diniè diya
Wa i tolowlé, i tolowlé, i tolowlé, i tolowlé, i tolow
Tolow mi ma sôbè sa olé nô diniè diya
The song N’Téri by Rokia Traoré is a beautiful and haunting ballad that explores the theme of separation and longing. The lyrics are in Bambara, and the song opens with the verse "koni n'to damana ah", which means "I am thinking of you, my love." The singer goes on to describe how she misses her lover and how the memory of their time together is with her always, even though they are apart.
The chorus of the song is "N'téri n'téri, an tounbè baro douman mounou kè o sandjana," which means "Oh my love, oh my love, I am thinking of you even though you are far away." The chorus is repeated several times, becoming a plaintive and melancholic refrain that underscores the raw emotion of the song.
Throughout the song, Traoré's voice is accompanied by sparse and haunting instrumentation, including a soft, plodding beat, gentle guitar chords, and the occasional mournful wail of a violin. The effect is hypnotic and powerful, drawing the listener deep into the singer's own sense of longing and yearning.
Line by Line Meaning
Éh, koni n’to damana ah
Oh, the struggle within myself
Kèn fè n’djoko djoukou kan
To find my path in life
Né mara n’djoko niouman niouman ni kélén kélén kama
I ask the elders of the village, oh wise ones
N’to n’damala o bélé béléba
My restless soul, cannot find peace
Né bo woussaya, sanou ni wôri yé
I seek guidance, in the light of the moon
Dowgodo nion djoukouya
The earth trembles
Dowgodo nion missinia ba
The trees whisper secrets
Dowgodo nion kéléya
The wind carries ancient stories
O tè diya to môkôyala
That fill my heart with wonder
Wa ni bè yé gwanssan yé
I am a child of this land
Djonti djon na kan bali
Bound to the will of the spirits
Djon ti djon na kan bali
Bound to the ancestors and my destiny
An bè nan nakan bè ni ta wati
I am humbled by the greatness of this power
Ya dé yé barosso yé to yôrô tè
I hear the drums and they call to me
Kounou kèla dô nièna
My heart is heavy
Bi sôkômada djona fô lo kô
With the weight of all these expectations
Bi bè kè dô nièna
I pray for guidance
Sini fadjiri to sôrô an tchèla
From the morning sun and the evening stars
Dounia da no ma dé
This world is a mystery
Ma bi télé kè
But I am not afraid
I ti djon nion télé kè habada
I will follow my calling
Moun dé yé ni diniè diya
We all have our own fate
Baro douman
And it cannot be denied
Bin ni kélén nia
But we are all connected
A ni gnon guèniè koun
In this endless cycle of life
Fô dô ka kè kaman yé
My inner fire burns bright
Ni djama bèla djèlin kèla woro yé
Guiding me along the way, as I learn and grow
O siki ti diya
And I see the truth
Fô dô ka nalow
And I will succeed
Ni djama bè la djèlén kékouniara
With the help of my ancestors and the spirits
O baro ti diya
I see the divine
N’téri ntéri
The earth is shaking
An tounbè baro douman mounou kè o sandjana
As the spirits dance and sing their praises
Ni né yé miri , walahi ko bè na wakati
I feel the energy, and I know it is the right time
djon bè na konôfô niôkon
The spirits are watching over us
Bê ni kanou ba
And we are blessed
An toun bè goundoba mounou dow o sandjana
As we gather together in celebration
Djon bè na kokènion
The ancestors are wise
An tountè môkô ya sira tama
And their guidance is true
An toun tè djè ka fô kè wa
We come together in love and unity
Ni né yé miri, walahi ko bè na wakati
And we feel the power of the spirits
Djon bè na kônô fô nion
As they guide us towards greatness
Bê ni kanouba
And we are grateful
Ti ka doloki ni dow kana
My heart beats for you
Mon amour bè ni térini
My love is true
Dolokini mi dow ko yi minè
Only you can satisfy me
Mon chéri m’bè fôli ki yé
You are my sweetheart
Wa i tolowlé, i tolowlé, i tolowlé, i tolowlé, i tolow
Listen, listen, listen, listen, listen
Tolow mi ma sôbè sa olé nô diniè diya
To the whispers of the winds and songs of life
N’téri niouman ni i niè djô nièrô
The earth trembles with life
An bè nionfê wa kadi
As we listen to the wisdom of our ancestors
An bè nion fè wan ti nion djoukouya
And learn from the messages of the spirits
An bi niôkon fè wan ti nion kéléya
And find the power within ourselves
Eh an bi nionfè wa kadi
Yes, we will follow the wisdom of the ancestors
Ti ka doloki ni dow kana
My heart beats for you
Mon amour bè ni térini
My love is true
Dolokini mi dow ko yi minè
Only you can satisfy me
Mon chéri m’bè fôli ki yé
You are my sweetheart
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Loc Nguyen
on Laidu
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