Cardiff based N'famady Kouyaté has been building an enthusiastic UK audience with his unique musical style since he relocated to Wales from Guinea in 2019. His primary instrument is the balafon – a traditional wooden xylophone, sacred to West African culture and his family heritage of the griot/djeli, and he fronts an indie/jazz band. N'famady’s music is a blend of his West African heritage and western musical influences from the likes of Super Furry Animals, The Flaming Lips and 9Bach. His performances create vibrant & joyous atmospheres that are fuelled by his charisma and charm onstage, wielding balafon & guitar throughout the show with a masterful ease. Since coming to the UK, N’famady has been playing and touring extensively, with highlights being festival shows at Focus Wales, The Great Escape, Celtic Connections, SXSW, Latitude main stage and many more. In 2023 he won the Glastonbury Emerging Talent Competition, further signalling the bright future of this rising star.
In the UK N’famady has played both as a solo artist and with a full band line up – where his arrangements are a fusion of Mandingue African with western jazz, pop, indie, and funk influences provided by an ever-evolving collective of musicians. Instrumentation includes balafon, keyboards, drumkit, djembe, guitar, bass, kora, doundoun, congas, saxophone, trumpet, & callabash. N’famady’s performances create amazing atmospheres and vibrations wherever he goes, and audiences are charmed by his infectious enthusiasm and joy.
During the 2020 lockdown N’famady participated in a number of online events including DarloDrum Fest, Ara Deg festival online, Out Of Focus Wales, and Gwyl 2021 festival – but due to COVID-19 restrictions was only able to do solo sets. N’famady did play one pop up (socially distanced) gig with a full band line up, plus special guest Gruff Rhys, as part of Butetown Carnival in Cardiff Bay in September 2020. The Summer of 2021 however saw the band performing at the Wales Millennium Centre, Llangollen Fringe Festival, and taking Green Man Festival by storm headlining the Chai Wallah stage.
N’famady released his first EP in July 2021, recorded in the legendary Rockfield Studios, with a full band line up, including guest appearances from Gruff Rhys (Super Furry Animals), Lisa Jên Brown (9Bach), and Kliph Scurlock (The Flaming Lips). The EP features mash-ups of traditional Guinean songs with new Welsh lyrics, modern & traditional instrumentation, played by a ten-piece band. N’famady has a steadily growing fanbase both in the UK and West Africa.
In 2022 N’famady hit the road for a debut 20 date UK tour, after a busy summer of festivals (including Cambridge Folk, The Great Estate, Underneath the Stars, Rhythmtree, Sidmouth Folk, Purbeck Folk & Belfast Mela). 2023 included a trip to the US in March (including an appearance at South by Southwest) as well as main stage slots at several major UK summer festivals, such as Latitude and Shrewsbury Folk. N’famady won the Glastonbury Emerging Talent Competition in April 2023, further signalling a bright future for this rising star.
N’famady is now working on his highly anticipated debut album, aiming for its release in late 2024, ahead of another busy year of venue and festival performances.