Afrikafestival Hertme - Dobet Gnahore

Côte Ivoire used to be known as a magnet for recording artists from all over West Africa. Many came to use the modern studios in the capital Abidjan, but ironically, the country has never produced much in the way of distinctively local vibes, apart from reggae stars Alpha Blondy and Tiken Jah Fakoly. These days it's the vicious and ongoing north/south conflict that garners most headlines. The present situation arose as a result of a coup in 1999 ­ the same year that 23-year-old singer and songwriter Dobet Gnahoré left her homeland and settled in Marseille. She has been based there ever since.

The thriving multi-cultural music scene of that vibrant French port city provided her with opportunities that were no longer on offer back home, but she has not forgotten her roots. She may not have felt safe enough to go back to Côte Ivoire itself yet, but she has performed in many of the African countries she draws inspiration from in her music, visiting Congo, Gabon, Chad and Equatorial Guinea on a recent tour.

She¹s also keen to stress the importance of her training back home with the Pan African Ki-Yi Mbock company, based in an 'artist village' near Abidjan. There she was taught to take a multi-faceted approach to music, which incorporated song, dance, percussion and theatre. To this day, she sings in seven African languages as well as French, defining her approach as 'defiantly diverse, musically and linguistically'.

Her band includes French and Tunisian members as well as her master percussionist father Boni Ngahoré, so the title of her 2004 debut Ano Neko ('let's create together') seems to fit. Apart from the sounds of Côte Ivoire's Bété and Baoulé cultures, you can also hear echoes of Cameroonian bikutsi, Congolese and East African rumba and Manding music ­ plus, of course, reggae ­in her original songs. Her socially conscious lyrics deal with subjects such as the AIDS pandemic, the importance of family, village life and remembering your roots.

Onstage, Dobet is a vivacious bundle of energy, blessed with a powerful voice and infectious charisma. She wears sumptuous Afro-chic outfits, and her hair extensions toss as she swaps a flute for a thumb piano, a shaker or just a pair of dancing shoes.

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[leftysergeant]

Judging her on the basis of voice, stage presence and delivery, I would rate her about 10 out of 10. Magnificent voice and an awesome presence. As for creativity, she has the gae totally pegged out. Totally a winner.

She's rather good-looking, too.

[YonTizwazo]

Une pépite à la présence magique ♫♪♥

[ronaldfuetico]

such a wonderful performance Dobet gave at Hertme in 2009. She blew me away and the tears came spontaneous. She made me cry!!!!!!! So beautiful

[LHCworld]

Dobet GNAHORET La nouvelle pépite ivoirienne qui désormais va briller ~*~ « Ses éclats de voix personnels qui me ramènent à mon enfance et adolescence, ravivent les lueurs de chanteuses d'antan qui éveillèrent et feront toujours vibrer mon esprit et corps en choeur pour ces voies musicales et rythmes d'Afrique enchanteurs et envoutants » © EfkR dit lovinair, alias FB Amodou Cédou Coulikoffi.