SINIMUSO-women of the future
SINIMUSO crosses borders and creates futures. Their music fuses Malian and Finnish traditions. Finno-Ugric sunged Kalevala poems and old Kantele melodies meet with Sahara blues and groovy Bambara and Bobo beats. Group's debut album, Nouskaa sisaret, was released on the 2nd of October 2024 along with a successful tour in the Nordic countries. The group won the Folk Music Act of the Year in 2025 (Vuoden kansanmusiikintekijä) -price granted by Finnish Music Creators’ Association.
”The criss-crossing of culture from the desert dunes of Mali with forested quiet spaces in Finland is where refreshingly bold, adventurous and vibrant new group SINIMUSO (Women of the Future) join global south and north. Nouskaa Sisaret is a first bold step. This diverse album of seven female musicians mixes a predominant Malian flair of exuberance (try ‘Sirayo’, ‘Kala-tchi’ and ‘Soli’) with a refreshing coolness of Finnish contemplation (try ‘Pienikätistä Pihalle’, ‘Tuutu’ and ‘Pulaku’). A life-affirming array of musical colour throughout showcases predominantly vocals, Bamana traditional flute and throat singing, creating a heady mix of Africa with Scandinavia. The whirling arpeggio-like passages, pulsating beats, warm harmonies, calls and echoes in tracks such as the title-track have more pull factor for me personally – yet I liked the eclecticism of the album (e.g. the more contemplative and exposed melodies of ‘Tuutu’). A worthwhile listen.” Four stars by James Rorison / Songlines Magazine, February/March/2025.
SINIMUSO brings together female musicians from different musical backgrounds in Mali as well as two Finnish musicians, Jenni Hanikka and Marjo Smolander. In September-October 2022 the group of women came together in Bamako to share their music and stories The band was given the name Sinimuso, “the women of the future” in Bambara.
Exchanges between different ethnic groups and intercultural collaboration are common in today’s Mali, but the position of female musicians is still weak. The main purpose of this musical project is to offer female musicians an opportunity to network and learn from one another. The artistic collaboration is based on the assumption that regardless of the cultural and other differences female musicians also have shared experiences of what it is like to work as a woman in a male-dominated industry.
The album Nouskaa sisaret was recorded by Mikko H. Haapoja in Bamako in the famous Studio Bogolan in February 2023. SINIMUSO performed in the Ogobagna festival in Bamako. The album release tour covered Nordic countries in October and November 2024.
The tour schedule was:
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18th October 2024 Cultural Centre Poleeni, in Pieksamäki, Finland
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22nd October 2024, Näyttämö, in Joensuu, Finland
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30th October 2024, Stallet, in Stockholm Sweden
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1st November 2024, Huset, Ålborg, Denmark
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2nd November 2024, Melahuset, in Oslo, Norway
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6th November 2024, Turkis, in Århus, Denmark
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7th November 2024, MixMusik, in Malmö, Sweden
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9th November 2024, Union, in Copenhagen, Denmark
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15th November 2024, Etnosoi! festival at Kanneltalo, in Helsinki Finland
The members of SINIMUSO:
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Kadidiatou Bah, vocals (Mali)
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Jenni Hanikka, wind instruments, vocals (Finland)
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Marieta Dembélé, drums (Mali)
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Bintou Koita, percussions, vocals (Mali)
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Marjo Smolander, kantele, vocals (Finland)
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Tima Maiga, guitar, vocals (Mali)
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Ouassa Sogoba, bala, vocals (Mali)