Mdou Moctar Explained

Mdou Moctar
Birth Name:Mahamadou Souleymane
Alias:M.dou Mouktar
Birth Date: 16 August 1984-1986
Birth Place:Tchintabaraden, Niger
Occupation:Songwriter, musician
Instrument:Guitar, vocals, synth
Years Active:2008–present
Label:Sahel Sounds, Stone Tapes, Matador

Mahamadou Souleymane (born c. 16 August 1984 or 1986[1]),[2] known professionally as Mdou Moctar (also M.dou Mouktar), is a Tuareg songwriter and musician based in Agadez, Niger, who performs modern rock music inspired by Tuareg guitar music. His music first gained attention through a trading network of mobile phones and memory cards in West Africa.[3] He sings in the Tamasheq language.[4] Moctar's fourth album, Ilana: The Creator, released in 2019, was the first to feature a full band. He plays guitar in the takamba and assouf styles.

Biography

Mdou Moctar was born in the Nigerien village of Tchintabaraden, and then grew up in Arlit, a mining town. After listening to artists such as Abdallah Oumbadougou he wanted to play the guitar, but his family disapproved of electric music for religious reasons,[5] so he had to build his own guitar using bicycle cables for strings.

His first album, Anar, was recorded in Sokoto, Nigeria, in 2008 and prominently featured autotuned vocals and influences from Hausa music.[6] [7] The album was not officially released at the time but the songs became popular across the Sahel when they went viral through mobile phone music trading networks.[8] Many of Moctar's initial songs were shared as MP3 files person-to-person throughout Niger via Bluetooth without his involvement.[9]

Some of the songs reached a global audience when Sahel Sounds released them on the Music from Saharan Cellphones: Volume 1 compilation.[10] Two songs were covered with English homophone lyrics by Brainstorm,[11] an American band from Portland, Oregon. Anar was released on vinyl in 2014 with a high price, due to "predatory business practices" from Sixt on Moctar's first European tour.[12]

His next album, Afelan, was recorded live in Tchintabaraden and features "rusty-edged jams and sun-weathered ballads".[13] The title track is named after a celebrated historical/folkloric hero of the Azawough of Western Niger.[14] It contains a cover of "Chet Boghassa" by Tinariwen. Moctar became aware of international interest in his music in 2014: Moctar released his fifth studio album Ilana (The Creator) in 2019; it was his first studio album recorded with a full band.[15] NPR's Bob Boilen named the album "perhaps the most fiery psych-rock of the 21st century"[16] while Happy Mag placed it at no.13 on their list of "The 25 best psychedelic rock albums of the 2010s", labelling it "serious music for a serious cause."[17] Moctar's sixth album, Afrique Victime, was released via Matador Records on 21 May 2021.[18] The album received positive reviews from international publications including Rolling Stone,[19] Paste,[20] Pitchfork,[21] and The Guardian.[22] His seventh album, Funeral for Justice, was released May 3, 2024, to rave reviews.

International tours

During February and March of 2022, Mdou Moctar was touring with sixteen dates as the opening act for Brooklyn-based indie rock band Parquet Courts' North American Tour.[23] Moctar also had eight headlining shows added to the beginning and end of this tour, which would be followed up by headlining a spring 2022 European tour.The Irish leg of the tour was cancelled due to visa issues.

In 2023, Moctar embarked an American tour that included performances at the Pitchfork Music Festival and the Newport Folk Festival.[24] During the 2023 Nigerien coup d'état, Moctar and his band were unable to return to Niger and launched a GoFundMe campaign on August 3, 2023 for funding to remain in the United States indefinitely.[25] By August 6, the band had raised $100,000, with musician Jack White among the donors.[26]

Films

Moctar appeared in the short film I Sing the Desert Electric in 2013.[27] He also had the starring role in the 2015 film Akounak Tedalat Taha Tazoughai (Rain the Color of Blue with a Little Red In It).[28] The soundtrack features music performed on set and at L'Embobineuse.[29] In 2022, Moctar appeared in a Fender Sessions video and performed three songs from their album Afrique Victime, including the title track "Afrique Victime", "Ya Habibti" and "Chismiten".[30] Moctar performed an NPR Tiny Desk Concert, recorded in the winter of 2020 from a home in Niamey, Niger and released on NPR's website on 24 May 2021.[31]

Band members

Adapted from album liner notes.

Former members

Discography

Studio albums

Live albums

Singles and EPs

Compilation appearances

Notes and References

  1. News: MUZIEK: Mdou Moctar – Toeareg-rockheld voor de jonge generatie. 4 October 2014. Gonzo Circus. 123. 4 September 2014.
  2. Web site: Afropop Worldwide | Mdou Moctar Talks Tuareg Film and Music. Afropop.org. 9 June 2021.
  3. Web site: tahoultine, chopped and skyped. Sahelsounds.com. 24 July 2013.
  4. Allan. Jennifer Lucy. Prince of the Desert. The Wire. October 2014. 368. 10.
  5. News: Mdou Moctar's scorching riffs set to heat up shred-fest at The Wilbury . February 19, 2021 . . September 5, 2019 . Kati . Schardl.
  6. Web site: MDOU MOCTAR. Cafeoto.co.uk. 30 March 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140330112337/http://cafeoto.co.uk/mdou-moctar.shtm. 30 March 2014. dead.
  7. News: Doran. John. The playlist: the best Middle Eastern and North African music of 2014, with Noura Mint Seymali. 25 January 2015. The Guardian. 30 December 2014.
  8. Web site: Mdou Moctar – 'Anar' (Official Video). Vanguardredmagazine.com. 15 June 2013.
  9. Web site: Barshad . Amos . How Mdou Moctar’s Music Went Viral Via Bluetooth . Wired . 1 November 2022.
  10. News: Artist To Watch: Mdou Moctar . . February 19, 2021 . March 5, 2019 . Christ . Deville.
  11. Web site: The Mdou Moctar Covers (Music from Saharan Cellphones) . 2023-05-01 . SoundCloud . en.
  12. Web site: Kirkley. Chris. here be dragons. Sahelsounds.com. 10 September 2014.
  13. Web site: Holslin. Peter. Master of Saharan Guitar: Mdou Moctar "Anar". Passionweiss.com. 25 January 2015.
  14. Web site: sahel vinyl. Sahelsounds.com. 23 July 2013.
  15. Web site: Mdou Moctar: Ilana (The Creator). Pitchfork. en. 2019-10-16.
  16. Web site: Mdou Moctar's 'Ilana' Is Perhaps The Most Fiery Psych-Rock Of The 21st Century. NPR. en. 2019-10-16.
  17. Web site: The 25 best psychedelic rock albums of the 2010s. en-US. 2019-10-16.
  18. Web site: Mdou Moctar Announces New Album Afrique Victime, Released Music Video For Single Tala Tannam. Guitar.com. en. 2021-03-18.
  19. Web site: Grow. Kory. 2021-05-20. Mdou Moctar's 'Afrique Victime' Redefines Freedom in Rock. 2021-07-23. Rolling Stone. en-US.
  20. Web site: 2021-05-21. Mdou Moctar's Vision Blossoms into a Desert Flower on Afrique Victime. 2021-07-23. pastemagazine.com. en.
  21. Web site: Mdou Moctar: Afrique Victime. 2021-07-23. Pitchfork. en.
  22. Web site: 2021-05-23. Mdou Moctar: Afrique Victime review – wild, virtuosic Tuareg blues. 2021-07-23. The Guardian. en.
  23. Web site: Mdou Moctar announces new U.S. tour dates . 2022-03-08 . The FADER . en.
  24. Web site: Pearis . Bill . Mdou Moctar stuck in US indefinitely due to Niger coup; GoFundMe launched to cover expenses . BrooklynVegan . 4 August 2023 . 3 August 2023.
  25. Web site: Hussey . Allison . Mdou Moctar Launches GoFundMe to Remain in United States Amid Nigerien Coup . Pitchfork . 4 August 2023 . 3 August 2023.
  26. Web site: Pittman . Sarah . Niger Coup Strands Mdou Moctar In US, Band Launches GoFundMe With $100K Raised - Pollstar News . Pollstar . 9 August 2023 . 6 August 2023.
  27. Web site: i sing the desert electric (download). Sahelsounds.com. 27 December 2013.
  28. Web site: Mdou Moctar protagoniza un nuevo filme documental: "Rain the Color of Red with a Little Blue In It". Conceptaradio,net. 30 December 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20131231001154/http://www.conceptoradio.net/2013/12/27/mdou-moctar-protagoniza-un-nuevo-filme-documental-rain-color-red-little-blue/. 31 December 2013. dead.
  29. Web site: Kirkley. Christopher. Akounak Tedalat Taha Tazoughai OST. Sahelsounds.com. 8 June 2015.
  30. Web site: Fender Sessions - Mdou Moctar. YouTube.com. 2022-02-08.
  31. News: Boilen . Bob . 2021-05-24 . Mdou Moctar: Tiny Desk (Home) Concert . en . NPR . 2022-03-08.
  32. News: Mdou Moctar's New Album Is a Blazing 'Funeral for Justice' . . March 5, 2024 . Jon . Blistein . February 28, 2024.
  33. Web site: Music For Saharan Cellphones Vol.2 crowdfunding LP release. Thewire.co.uk. 15 June 2013.
  34. Web site: Cohen. Ian. Porches. Pitchfork.com. 22 March 2014.
  35. Web site: Minsker . Evan . Mdou Moctar Announce Remix Album Afrique Refait Featuring Only African Artists . Pitchfork . 1 November 2022.

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