N'famady Kouyaté

N’famady Kouyaté is a young energetic master musician from Guinea (Conakry), who relocated to Cardiff (Wales) in 2019. A talented multi-instrumentalist who wowed audiences across the UK and Ireland during autumn/winter 2019/20 with his modern interpretations of traditional West African Mandingue songs and rhythms supporting Gruff Rhys on the Pang! album tour. N’famady’s primary instrument is the balafon – the traditional wooden xylophone, sacred to West African culture and his family heritage of the griot/djeli. In Guinea he founded ‘Les Héritiers du Mandingue’ a tradi-modern group that toured extensively in West Africa.

In the UK N’famady has played both as a solo artist and with a full band line up – where his arrangements are a fusion of Mandingue African with western jazz, pop, indie, and funk influences provided by an ever-evolving collective of musicians. Instrumentation includes balafon, keyboards, drumkit, djembe, guitar, bass, kora, doundoun, congas, saxophone, trumpet, & callabash. N’famady’s performances create amazing atmospheres and vibrations wherever he goes, and audiences are charmed by his infectious enthusiasm and joy.

N’famady released his first EP in July 2021

Programming descriptions are generated by participants and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of SXSW.

Events featuring N'famady Kouyaté

Mar 15, 2023
8:00pm — 8:40pm
Presented by
Six Shooter Records
Mar 16, 2023
10:30pm — 11:00pm
Presented by
Focus Wales
Mar 17, 2023
8:00pm — 8:40pm
Presented by
End of The Trail
About
From:
Cardiff, UK-WALES
Genre:
Subgenre:
Afro Pop
Professional Connections
N'famady Kouyaté is seeking the following:
  • Label
  • Brand Partnership
  • Booking Agent - US
  • PR/Publicity Agency
  • Producer/Studio Engineer
  • Publishing
  • Sync/Music Supervisors