Sousou & Maher Cissoko

Multiple award-winning Senegalese/Swedish duo crossing borders in their music just like in their life together. Constantly on the move with musical and human meetings as their principal driving force. Maher was born to play kora and Sousou is one of very few female kora players in the world. Sousou and Maher both grew up in families of musicians and it was the interest and love for the West African kora (a harp lute) that brought them together. An important guideline for the griot culture which the kora is part of is the preservation of the musical heritage through its musicians’ continuously finding new ways. In the interpretation of Sousou & Maher Cissoko it means magnificent kora playing and soulful singing combined with a rhythmic energy and influences from reggae, folk, soul and jazz. As follows from the heritage of the Cissoko family of West African storytellers, the songs bring about an important message of coming together and creating links instead of boundaries between countries and people. This is further stressed by the duo singing in five different languages. Sousou & Maher Cissoko’s music is just as border crossing as the life they live together; constantly on the move and with the musical and human meetings as the principal driving force.