10 Facts About Sekouba Bambino

Sekouba "Bambino" is the stage name of Sekouba Diabate, a singer and musician born in Guinea, West Africa, in 1964.

Sekouba Bambino was born into a musical family, and is descended from a long line of griots, known in some Mande languages as jeli.

Sekouba Bambino's mother died when he was three years old, but left behind a legacy in the songs she had recorded which her son later heard on the radio.

Sekouba Bambino's death left Bambino with his father, who did not encourage his musical aspirations, hoping he would follow him working in his transport company, but from age eight, Bambino Diabate sang with local bands and began to achieve musical renown.

Sekouba Bambino released his first solo recording in 1991, and throughout the 1990s continued to record solo material as well as to sing with the African salsa group Africando.

Sekouba Bambino's 1994 album Syli nationale, was a homage to the Guinea national football team.

Sekouba Bambino's music is popular throughout West Africa, particularly in Guinea, Mali, and other countries where the Bambara and Malinke languages are spoken.

Sekouba Bambino has become renowned for his vocal prowess, and his voice compares favorably with that of any of his home region's best male singers.

Sekouba Bambino is little known outside Africa as he has consistently chosen to remain true to his West African fan base.

In November 2015 Sekouba Bambino was caught up in an attack by suspected Ansar al-Din operatives on the Radisson Blu hotel in Mali's capital, Bamako, but was able to escape.