Oumou Sangare + Bassam Saba

One of six siblings raised in poverty in Mali, Oumou Sangare is a superstar in Africa, known as the “Songbird of Wassoulou” (a West African musical genre) and famed as a singer, businesswoman and human-rights activist. Listen to her fifth and latest album, Seya (translation: "Joy"), and you'll understand why she’s become so big. Her voice is strong, lithe and cool, and like Amadou & Mariam and Rokia Traore, Sangare combines rootedness with breezy experimentalism and a yen for pop. Plus, she puts on a hell of a live show. Notable support comes from oud player Bassam Saba.