The most important thing is to be happy myself with what I am doing.

I can introduce new parts because when you are on stage in front of a very happy audience or people who love what you are doing, you are able to do extraordinary things that you yourself didn't think you could do before.

Going back and forth between Western Arabic and African countries clearly created the various musical backgrounds I could have and obviously influenced my professional attitude, my way of approaching both music composition and singing, particularly phrasing.

Traveling changed my personality and gave me ability to do the music I do and to think in a certain way that everything can be possible.

I don't know if it's due to my age, that I'm older now, [but] I love the essentials. I don't like the things around us that are a kind of mirage.

Of course the folk guitar is the one I play very often, but I wanted a more electric sound.

We need self-confidence in our ability to build Africa. I trust in Mali and I trust in music.