Born in 1980 in the Tuareg nomadic encampment of Tidene (Agadez, Niger), Bombino came of age under the sign of political upheaval. At ten, he fled with his family to Algeria, where he learned to play guitar by watching videos of Hendrix, Dire Straits, Ali Farka Touré and Tinariwen — and, after returning to his homeland, turned the instrument into a voice of resistance and beauty. His path crossed with Keith Richards and Charlie Watts, took him to Nashville to record with Dan Auerbach (The Black Keys), and earned him, in 2018, the first Grammy nomination (Best World Music Album) ever awarded to an artist from Niger. On Sahel, his most recent album, Bombino calls for unity in that African region, in a register that ranges from acoustic balladry to the most incendiary electric tracks. Whatever the circumstances, his mission remains unchanged: to spread the soul and richness of Tuareg culture throughout the world.