ISMAILA TOURE. Senegalese singer Ismaïla Touré, co-founder of the group Touré Kunda, died Monday, February 27, at the age of 73.
Pioneer of African music in France, Ismaïla Touré is dead. The announcement was made by his family in a press release relayed by AFP, Monday, February 27, 2023: “Ismaïla died this morning, at the age of 73, following a long illness in Paris. He has left an indelible mark on the world of music and culture. We are proud of his legacy and all the contributions he made throughout his life.”
Co-founder and member of the Touré Kunda group, Ismaïla Touré was 73 years old. Particularly popular at the end of the 1970s, thanks in particular to the hit E’Mma Africa, the group he had created with his brother Sixiu Tidiane mixed jazz and rock with the sounds of their country of origin. Touré Kunda has released a total of a dozen albums, the last of which in 2018, an anniversary record for the group’s 40th anniversary and will have performed all over the world.
“Beyond her musical career, Ismaïla Touré (…) has worked to promote cultural diversity and intercultural dialogue, and has been a strong advocate for peace, social justice and equal opportunity” , adds the press release to AFP.
As soon as the death of Ismaïla Touré was announced, tributes poured in on social networks. Among them, that of Senegalese President Macky Sall, who wrote on Twitter: “I am saddened to learn of the death of Ismaël Touré, a member of the legendary group Touré Kunda. It is a huge loss for Senegalese and African music. My condolences moved to his family and to the artistic world. I salute his memory. Peace to his soul.”
