Fatoumata Diawara Talks India Return, 'London Ko' Album and Damon Albarn

The Malian artist will perform at Lollapalooza India in Mumbai

- ANURAG TAGAT

SPEAKING FROM her home in France, Malian artist Fatoumata Diawara has a red and black scarf and stole combination worn around her, matching her hair. If you’ve seen photos of the star singer-composer and guitarist all the way from her 2011 breakout album Fatou to her 2023 album London Ko, you know that Diawara is always vibrant, in song, in person and clearly, in style as well.

Speaking to Rolling Stone India ahead of her appearance in India, the artist says Indians, like Africans, have “no fear of colors.” She adds with a smile, “In Europe, people discuss a lot about colors. They are quite shy with the colors, but in India everything is colorful and I love that. I feel connected very fast.” Of course, there’s also the food (“I don’t have a problem to eat there and that’s amazing,” she adds) and spirituality, but it’s not the first time you’d hear that from any artist visiting India.