Noura Mint Seymali

Overview

Noura Mint Seymali’s dreamlike vocals combined with her husband, Jeich Ould Chighaly’s, psych guitar, which has been compared to Hendrix and Richard Thompson, guarantees an evening of dynamic world music. She and her husband are Moorish griots – the poets, storytellers and musicians who maintain a tradition of oral history in parts of West Africa. Combining roots Moorish music with a contemporary style, they have gained critical attention with chart topping albums and electrifying performances.

Praised by NPR and the Guardian, Noura Mint Seymali is the Islamic Republic of Mauritania's defining artist on the international stage. Born into a prominent line of Moorish griots and musicians, Seymali began her career at age 13 as a supporting vocalist with her step-mother, the legendary Dimi Mint Abba. As described by NPR, “the arrival of Mauritanian vocalist Noura Mint Seymali in front of Western audiences feels like the start of a new era.”

Experience what Chicago Reader states is a “mesmerizing tension between ancient and futuristic” which has made Noura Mint Seymali a sensation in West Africa and beyond.

“…the best album in the universe”
- Vice/Noisey

“…the pentatonic melodies of her songs had something in common with the blues. But her fusion was particular and selective…She only meets American music on her own terms.”
- The New York Times

"With her smoky-rich voice, this griot artist tips toward reggae, flamenco and rock along with traditional Sahelian tonalities and rhythms…Though Seymali is still a newcomer to American audiences, she won't likely be an unknown for long."
- NPR

Run Time: 80 Minutes