Rokia Traoré's Voice Soars

Staff

Malian singer-songwriter Rokia Traoré’s compositions, sung in her otherworldly vibrato, reflect her wide range of influences, from French-inflected West African pop to Billie Holiday and even Dire Straits. This year she released a heavily rock-infused fifth album, Beautiful Africa (Nonesuch), to rave reviews. With songs in Bambara, French and English, it’s the first record of hers that comes close to channeling the energy of her live sets. rokiatraore.net.