Rokia Traore on how Mali's conflict shaped her new album
Mali's Rokia Traore - one of Africa's best known vocalists - was recording her first album in five years when the north of her country fell to Islamist rebels.
She returned to live in Mali five years ago where she set up a foundation designed to help musicians.
So the recent troubles and the attempts of Islamic militants to ban music there cut right to the heart of what she represents.
She told BBC Africa's Jenny Horrocks that these troubles and others across the continent inspired her new album's title track, Beautiful Africa.
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28 May 2013
- From the section Africa