Dene Issebere

Dene Issebere is the daughter of Hamadoun Ibrahima Issébéré, the famous Malian poet who was awarded the ACCT prize in France in 1978, for his work "les boutures du soleil", and Diahara Tangara, teacher and actress. Therefore Déné grew up influenced by this artistic environment.

Following her father who worked abroad for 14 years, she had the chance to soak up various musical cultures.

When she went back to Bamako, Déné choose to express herself through singing. Her first compositions, the results of her multiple encounters, enabled her to take part in several musical events in Mali. She was first noticed in parties organized by her school, and after that, she did not hesitate to take part in other concerts. Being the unique composer/ author/interpreter singing something else than the traditional folklore, Déné quickly raised the curiosity of Bamako’s audience.

Following a performance during a concert of the rap band "King Da Dja" (produced by Salif Kéita) called upon Déné to record their "Tougna". This collaboration would be the first of several very diverse musical collaborations! Indeed, charmed by her melodious voice, Eric Bono, the sound engineer of Salif Kéita (at that time) called upon her services for other albums (traditional and modern) among which the Malian version of the world cup anthem of Youssou N’Dour with Rokia Traoré and Afel Bocoum.

She was also asked by the "Escrocs" to help with the recording of their album "Kokadjè" and this will lead her to meet and work with the Malian Kora virtuoso, Toumani Diabaté and then also with the Balaphon virtuoso Néba Solo on his album "CAN 2002".

After obtaining her baccalaureate, she decided to record a solo album and sign with Mali K7.

Her first album, "Ogopo" (greeting to the chief in Dogon language), was an immediate popular success. At 21 years old, Déné came to Malian music scene as the new female voice of Malian music combining tradition and modernity.

During 3 years, Déné continued with various collaborations; she took part in the realization of more than 20 albums released on the Malian market and in 3 international albums (Frederic Galliano, Toma Sidibé and Issa Bakayoko). She went to the Midem, to the Womex, a European tour with Issa
Bagayoko and a French tour with Lobi Traoré. With this experience and the end of her English and Computer studies and additional training in singing techniques in France, Déné decided to launch herself into the writing and the preparation of her new album in 2004.

The preparation for this second album began at the end of 2004, between rehearsals with her musicians and work in the OSC studio in Bamako with Olivier Kaba doing the arranging. After 6 months of work, a first recording was ready to be mixed. Déné choose to deepen the work by bringing in new instruments and developing new collaborations.

During this new phase of work, new musicians brought their experience like the ngonifôla (n’goni players) Bassékou Kouyaté. In parallel, in Paris, the Malian maestro Cheik Tidiane Seck brought in additional arrangements to enrich and finalize this album. After a year and a half of work, Déné’s second opus will be released in Mali, with a live tour (Bamako, Douentza, Gao, Sikasso …), in 2006.

Important dates
1996: First live performance as opening act for the group Sofa (Mali)
Several other small concerts in Bamako

1997: Participated in the recording of "Tougna" album by the rap band King
Da Dia (Mali)
Participation in the recording of other albums (rap, traditional music, sensitising especially the compilation "stop excision")

1999: Signature of a 2 year contract with the production company Mali K7 (Mali)

2001: Release of the album "Ogopo" (8 tracks)
Participation in Frederic Galliano’s album, "Frederic Galliano and the African Divas" (F COM)
Participation in Toma Sidibé’s album, "Mali Mélo" (Sony)
Participation at the world music expo "Womex" (the Netherlands) with Issa
Bagayoko
Involved with Issa Bakayoko’s European Tour
Participation in Néba Solo’s album, "Can 2002"

2002: Chorus in Issa Bakayoko’s album "Timbuktu" (six degrees records)
Participation at the international market of the music "Midem"
(France) with Issa Bagayoko
Concert in the French Arts Centre (CCF), Bamako
Closing concert for the African Nations Cup CAN 2002 (Bamako) with Rokia Traoré and Habib Koité.

2003: Chorus for several albums released on the Malian market.
2 concerts in the French Arts Centre (CCF), Bamako.

2004: Singing courses (France)
French tour with Lobi Traoré

2005: Concert In Paris (France)
Work on second album

Her Dogon origins, her parents and her travels have influenced Déné’s musical universe and writing.

She likes working on two complementary musical universes, which allows her to associate a Dogon musical culture with pop, modern, inspiration and folk. Her register is not limited to the traditional Dogon inheritance as she also regularly approaches the music of other ethnic groups present in Mali (Songhai, Malinké…).

Déné privileges 5 instruments in her music: the Calabash, the N’goni, the n’tamani, the guitar and the bass guitar.

She is the author of the majority of her texts, even if some are co-written with other singers like the Sonrhaï artist Baba Salah or with writers like the Malian short story teller Fatim Keita. As she particularly likes the work of her father, Déné does not hesitate to put his poems she likes into music.

Through her artistic work, Déné tries to show the importance of different causes she is committed to in Mali. Déné chose to focus on three themes:
-The development of Malian culture with a focus on the Dogon culture
-The relationship between men and women and the place of each one in Malian society, putting forward the specific problems concerning women (excision, forced marriage…)
-Peace on the African continent and more generally in the world.

Musicians
- Yacouba Sissoko: N’goni and Percussions
- Kouyaté Bassekou: N’goni
- Sheik Tidiane Seck: keyboard
- Sékou Kanté: Bass Guitar
- Diabaté Samba: Guitar and N’goni
- Hamet Fofana: Guitar and Calabash
- Salah Baba: Sonrhaï star of Malian music
- Adama Traoré "Yalomba": Kamelen N’goni
- Mamadou Koné "Prince": Calabash
- Fabien Kisoka: Saxophonist for the band Taranta Babu (France)
- Mathias Mahler: Trombone player for the group Taranta Babu (France)
- Zoumana Téréta: Sokou or Traditional Violin
- Mamadou Diallo: Fulani Flute
- Cisko: Accordion (France)
- Sheriff: Kora
- Manjul: Guitar
- Stephan Bonvent: Drums (France)
- M’Baou Tounkara, Julie Demaison: Chorus

 
Dene's new album "Ladilikan" is composed of 11 songs:
- "Sangha" and "Koro Lere" emphasize the Dogon culture through modernization on one hand of a traditional Dogon feast song and on the other hand a funeral song.

- "Térébali" relates to a war which took place, a long time ago, between two Dogon villages

- "Bassé téré" emphasizes the Malian culture by recalling the story of the sinanguya (joking) between the Dogons and the Sonrhaïs (ethnic groups). This song is written and interpreted by Déné and Baba Salah (Sonrhaï star of Malian music)

- "Mousso Koutan" and "Ladilikan" are two songs which try to describe and advise on the relations between men and women, the behaviour and the place of each one in today’s Malian society

- "Lombalia", "Lala", "I man toun" describe the problems, which can touch the women of Mali (polygamy, forced marriage, excision, STIs and HIV).

- "Ben" is a song, which speaks about the current conflicts in the world through wondering about the capacity of men to live in peace.

- “Where are we going?” is a poem by the Malian poet Amadoun Ibrahima Issébére, it’s about the refugees during war on the African continent and about the possibilities of living in peace on the continent.

Born in Bamako, Mali in the early 80’s, Dene is the child of a poet (father) and a comedian (mother). Her father is also professionally a diplomat, meaning Dene grew up in Algeria, staying there until she was 14 years old. In this time, she was exposed to various cultural influences beyond those of her Dogon heritage.

Her voice sweet and soft, Déné liked to sing, and sang wherever she some had the occasion. Although her friends and family always encouraged her dream to become a musician, Dene feared this dream was unattainable. Her father even offered her instruments (Xylophone, accordion, Guitar and Piano) to encourage her.

Returning to Bamako, Mali in 1994, Dene quickly started filling her evening by participating in concerts, including the many underground Rap concerts that occur throughout Bamako. The public was curious and astonished to see a girl on the scene singing something else than folklore.

After appearing on the album Tougna by the group "King Da Dja", Dene was tapped to appear in the World Cup hymns with Youssou N’Dour, Rokia Traore and Afel Boucoum.

The Dogon people are known for their courage and their bravery throughout Mali. Déné does not disappoint. Rather than leave Mali to continue school in France, she decides to continue her studies in Mali in order to make the most of her musical career. Continuing on, she appears on various albums, including Toumani Diabate’s.

Dene’s album "Ogopo", recorded in the studio Bogolan by Yves Wernert, is an illustration of her multiple and various talents.
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