Malian singer Rokia Traore is the first act confirmed for this year’s edition of the world’s most famous music festival – Glastonbury.
An announcement on the UK festival’s official website said Traore would be one of several musicians from Mali performing at the festival. Organisers said an artist from the country will open the festival’s main stage – the Pyramid Stage – on each day of Glastonbury 2013.
“In an act of solidarity with the musicians from Mali – where Islamists in the north have banned music – an artist from the country will open the Pyramid Stage each day,” the statement said.
Festival co-organiser Emily Eavis told The Guardian that the Malian artists would be part of a heavy West-African presence at this year’s festival.
“We have a long tradition dating back to the 80s of African acts playing the festival,” she said. “Given the situation in Mali at the moment, it felt particularly important to show some solidarity.
“We want to stay out of the politics, but if we can give musicians a platform we will always do that.”
You can check out a video of Traore and her funky band playing their song Zen at the bottom of the page.
Glastonbury will take place at Worthy Farm in Picton, England from June 26-30, 2013. 100,000 tickets to the festival sold out in less than two hours back in October.
The Rolling Stones, Muse and Fleetwood Mac have all been rumoured to play the festival, however, The Guardian believes that only one headliner is currently locked in for the event.
And, interestingly enough, Traore is currently in Australia right now doing some shows! If you missed out on Glasto tickets and can’t afford the trip over to see her there, you can see her at the Sydney Town Hall TONIGHT as part of the Sydney Festival. Grab your tickets through Ticketmaster.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ckjOR-CXDdw
