Amadou & Mariam Bring Mali To Your House!!!

I first heard Amadou & Mariam some weeks ago on KCRW's Morning Becomes Eclectic. After spinning "Sabali," the show's new host, Jason Bentley, noted that the West African duo would open some of Coldplay's stadium dates this summer. I made a mental note that I'd feature the duo in Who's Next in the coming weeks. Lo and behold, articles on Amadou & Mariam turned up in Time magazine and the Los Angeles Times in recent days, forcing my hand, which was just as well, since Welcome To Mali, the pair's latest album, was officially released in the U.S. today (March 24). Check out the video for "Sabali," a track from the album, below.

As you heard in the video, Mariam has a unique, angelic voice, made even more compelling with the use of AutoTune, while Amadou has created an irresistible musical bed in this track. Aside from making incredible music, Amadou & Mariam have an incredible story. The husband-and-wife duo met in 1975 at the Bamako Institute for the Young Blind in Mali. At the time, Adadou Bagayoko had already gained some notoriety in his home country as a guitarist in Les Ambassadeurs du Motel de Bamako, despite the fact that he lost his vision as a teenager after suffering from congenital cataracts. Mariam Doumbia, blind since the age of five, taught music and dance classes at the institute. The pair bonded over music and in 1980, they were married and began to collaborate on musical projects. Check out this video clip for "Les Temps Ont Change" from the duo's 2003 album, Wati.

One of my favorite things about music is discovering new artists from other acts that I enjoy. I believe that's how many people are discovering Amadou & Mariam. Although the duo became famous enough to be known as "the blind couple of Mali," connections with non-African musicians have helped the pair gain additional international notoriety. First, Paris-born, Spanish world music star Manu Chao stepped in to produce Dimanche A Bamako, the couple's 2005 breakthrough album. Later, Amadou & Mariam crossed paths with Gorillaz/Blur main man Damon Albarn, who released an album titled Mali Music in 2002. Albarn produced "Sabali" and guests on A & M's latest album, Welcome To Mali, which is bound to lead to fans discovering the joys of the duo. Other guests include recent Who's Next featured artist K'Naan.

In the past, Amadou & Mariam have won over audiences at such festivals as Coachella, Lollapalooza and Glastonbury in the U.K. This summer, Chris Martin and company will share the stage with the pair. My advice to those planning to attend those Coldplay dates: Get there early. Amadou & Mariam are an act you don't want to miss.

While there's no denying that this Malian singer and guitarist are incredible talents, the jury is still out if they will break big in America beyond a cult following. What do you think?