Ramata Diakité grew up in the Wassoulou region of southern Mali. Her singing career began at the age of 17 when she became a backing singer on her aunt Djeneba Diakité's debut album ‘Piraterie'.
Her ability to sing in many of the principal languages of Mali put her in high demand, and before long she was working at Studio Bogolon - one of the busiest studios in Bamako at that time.
Soon she began working with renowned musicians such as Siaka Sidibé (a highly respected Malian percussionist) and Salif Keita. Following an offer from the Wassoulou singer Souleymane Sidibé to record her own music, Ramata released her first cassette recording in Mali which was an instant success. This led to her debut international release ‘Na' in 1999. Later that year Ramata contributed to Toumani Diabaté and Taj Mahal's album ‘Kulanajan'.
Ramata's 2003 album was an adventurous assembly of both Malian and American musicians in New York, producing a unique fusion of Wassoulou, rock, pop and blues.
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