Kandia Kouyaté

Kandia Kouyaté (also known as Kandja Kouyaté, born in 1959(?) in Kita, Mali) is a Malian jelimuso (a female griot) and kora player. Kouyaté's career began in the early 1980s, when she started using female choral vocals accompanying her. This practice was later picked up by stars like Mory Kanté and Salif Keita, and is now an integral part of Malian music.