Salif Keïta is an afro-pop singer-songwriter from Mali. He is notable not only because of his reputation as the "Golden Voice of Africa" but also because he has albinism. He is a member of the Keita royal family of Mali.
Keita moved to Paris in 1984 to reach a larger audience. His music combines traditional West African music styles with influences from both Europe and the Americas. Although Keita was famous in Africa and had achieved a strong fan base among connoisseurs around the world, in 1987, Soro became his international-breakthrough album. The project was produced by Ibrahima Sylla, a visionary who had already discovered dozens of African stars. The arrangements feature the roiling rhythms, slightly nasal female backup choirs, and traditional percussion typical of Malian music. Musical instruments that are commonly featured in Keita's work include balafons, djembes, guitars, koras, organs, saxophones, and synthesizers. He performed at the Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute concert in 1988 to call for Nelson Mandela's release from prison. In 1990, Keita contributed "Begin the Beguine" to the Cole Porter tribute/AIDS benefit album Red Hot + Blue, produced by the Red Hot Organization. Keita found success in Europe as one of the African stars of world music, but his work was sometimes criticised for the gloss of its production and for the occasional haphazard quality. However, shortly after the turn of the millennium he returned to Bamako in Mali to live and record. His first work after going home, 2002's Moffou, was hailed as his best album in many years, and Keita was inspired to build a recording studio in Bamako, which he used for his album M'Bemba, released in October 2005. Guest artists on his albums have included Weather Report founders Joe Zawinul and Wayne Shorter, drummer Paco Sery, guitarist Carlos Santana, and percussionist Bill Summers. Keita's album La Différence was produced around the end of 2009. The work is dedicated to the struggle of the world albino community, for which Keita has been crusading all his life. In one of the album's tracks, the singer calls others to understand that "difference" does not mean "bad" and to show love and compassion towards albinos like everyone else: "I am black/ my skin is white/ so I am white and my blood is black /...I love that because it is a difference that's beautiful", "some of us are beautiful some are not/some are black some are white/all that difference was on purpose...for us to complete each other/let everyone get his love and dignity/the world will be beautiful." La Différence was recorded between Bamako, Beirut, Paris, and Los Angeles. This unique musical feel is reinforced by soulful pitches in the track "Samigna" emanating from the trumpet of the great Lebanese jazzman Ibrahim Maalouf. In 2001, Keita's song "Tomorrow" was featured in the Will Smith film Ali. La Différence won Keita one of the biggest musical awards of his career: the Best World Music 2010 at the Victoires de la musique. In 2013, after what he described as "threats" from the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions campaign, he cancelled a performance in Israel. He later published a letter on his Facebook page, stating that he decided to cancel the event because he was scared of "being harmed personally or professionally", but clarified that he still "love Israel", slamming BDS as an "extremist group" who used "scare tactics and bullying". In late October 2017, it was announced that Salif Keita will release a new album "soon". In November 2018 he announced his retirement from recording. This was at a concert in Fana, Mali. The album 'Un Autre Blanc',which was released at the concert would be his last.
