Bombino: A desert nomad whose guitar tells stories of rebellion and peace.

The phenomenon known as „desert blues“ blends the traditional melodies of Saharan nomads with electric guitars and the raw spirit of American blues. Alongside the genre's founding pioneers Tinariwen, its most celebrated figure is Bombino, a phenomenal yet deeply authentic songwriter and singer. His music combines intensely personal storytelling with a rich, hypnotic guitar sound full of subtle and intricate ornamentation. Born in Niger, the true heart of the Sahara, Bombino has continuously reinvented his music with every new release. He recorded the album Nomad in Nashville, the home of American country music, with producer Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys. His follow-up album Deran earned a Grammy nomination. In Prague, he will present his latest record, Sahel, recorded in Casablanca, Morocco, and produced by David Wrench, known for his work with David Byrne and Caribou. The album is a celebration of Tuareg identity and the culture of the Sahara's nomadic people.

Classic American blues stands as an example of transforming social oppression into powerful music. Bombino follows a similar path, albeit shaped by a different history. The Sahel region has become synonymous with famine, environmental disasters, and political repression. For the Tuareg people—ethnically part of the Berber family rather than sub-Saharan Africans—that oppression took on another dimension. Following decolonisation, newly established national borders divided their ancestral desert homeland, while the Tuareg were pushed to the margins of society. Bombino was born in a Tuareg camp northeast of Agadez in Niger. When he was ten years old, a Tuareg rebellion forced his family to flee to Algeria. After returning home, his uncle gave him his first guitar. Only a few years later, he joined a band, where, as the youngest member, he earned the nickname Bombino, derived from the Italian word bambino („child“).

For the Tuareg, movement is an essential part of life. During the pandemic, Bombino therefore found himself in a completely unnatural situation. „During lockdown I was cut off from the world, but it also had a positive side. I suddenly had plenty of time to spend with my family. It was the perfect opportunity to work on a new album, which I called Sahel.“ The record took several years to complete and brings together stories from across the vast Sahel region, stretching from the Red Sea to the Atlantic coast of Mauritania. Critics have described Sahel as Bombino's most personal and sonically adventurous album to date.

Presented by Rachot Production.