Amadou Bagayoko, guitarist, singer, and one-half of the celebrated Malian music duo Amadou & Mariam, has died at the age of 70. His passing was confirmed by both his family and Mali’s Minister of Culture Mamou Daffé, who expressed deep sorrow at the loss of one of the country’s most treasured musicians.
Amadou died on April 4 in Bamako, Mali, after a period of illness. His manager, Yannick Tardy, shared that he had been taken to a clinic after experiencing fatigue and passed away later that day.
Born in Mali, Amadou lost his eyesight at 16 due to a congenital condition. It was at the Institute for the Young Blind in Bamako that he met Mariam Doumbia, who had also lost her sight during childhood. The two bonded over their mutual love of music, forming a creative and life partnership that spanned more than four decades.
Dubbed “the blind couple from Mali”, Amadou & Mariam became internationally renowned for their fusion of traditional West African sounds with soul, blues, rock, and even electronic influences. Their breakthrough came with the Grammy-nominated 2008 album Welcome to Mali, and their 2004 record Dimanche à Bamako remains a landmark in world music.
Throughout their career, they collaborated with artists like Damon Albarn and David Gilmour, performed at Glastonbury, opened for Coldplay and Blur, and even performed at the concert for Barack Obama’s Nobel Peace Prize. In 2006, they also contributed the official song for the FIFA World Cup in Germany.
Their music didn’t just entertain — it became a symbol of inclusion, amplifying the voices of those living with disabilities, and shining a global spotlight on the power of perseverance and shared creativity.
Amadou Bagayoko’s final major performance with Mariam was at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games closing ceremony, a fitting tribute to a career marked by resilience and inspiration.
He is survived by his wife, Mariam, and their children — including Sam, a musician continuing the family legacy.