Dimi Mint Abba (1958 – 2011)

Faleceu Dimi Mint Abba, a mais respeitada cantora da Mauritânia. Em jeito de despedida e de homenagem, aqui fica o comunicado da World Circuit:

"Dimi Mint Abba (1958 – 2011)

We are deeply saddened to announce that one of Mauritania’s most beloved musicians, Dimi Mint Abba, passed away in a Moroccan hospital on 4 June after suffering a brain haemorrhage two weeks ago. She was 52. Known as the ‘Diva of the Desert’, Dimi was celebrated as one of the world’s greatest singers.

Born Loula Bint Siddaty Ould Abba in 1958, Dimi came from a prominent musical family belonging to the ‘iggawin’ (also known as ‘griot’) tradition and excelled at the ardin (similar to the West African kora) and as a percussionist from an early age. Abba’s breakthrough as a singer came when she won a prize at the Festival d’Oum Kelthoum in Tunisia in 1976. She went on to represent Mauritania at various other festivals including The Festival of Arabic Youth in Iraq (1977), Festival of Timgad in Algeria (1978), and the Festival of Agadir in Morocco in 1986.

Dimi’s first international album - ‘Moorish Music from Mauritania’ – was released on World Circuit in 1990. The recording features Abba and the gifted singer Khalifa Ould Eide and was the first studio quality recording of Moorish music by any artist from that country. Dimi was an institution in her homeland and a valued performer throughout Europe and Africa; musicians such as Ali Farka Toure, Baaba Maal, Toumani Diabate and Youssou N’Dour have expressed their huge admiration for her talents."