Salif Keita and Ghana’s Bisa Kdei to perform at Ivory Coast festival

Now in its 10th year, the festival has released a list of performers, which includes Ghanaian highlife man Bisa Kdei as well as Malian veteran artist Salif Keita. Also performing are Guinea’s Soul Bang, Senegal’s Marema and Singula from France. Local artists expected to join the festival include Kiff No Beat, Monique Seka and Tiken Jah.

The event, which is organised by members of the popular Ivorian group Magic System, was established “to help the most disadvantaged by creating social cohesion through music and ensuring we live together because our country has gone through difficult times”.

To accomplish its political aims, the festival partnered with the Economic Community Of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission in 2015. As part of its pledge, ECOWAS commended the use of music in fostering unity, saying that it is “an instrument of integration and communion without language, religious, racial or geographical barriers”.

Headliner Bisa Kdei will be following the footsteps of his elder countryman Gyedu Blay Ambolley when he goes on the FEMUA stage in April. The latter artist was invited to perform in 2014 for the seventh edition. Bisa Kdei will be expected to perform hit songs such as 'Mansa' and 'Brother Brother'. He recently collaborated with Nigerian act Patoranking on the song 'Life'.

Last year, Papa Wemba died onstage during his band's performance at FEMUA. The Congolese star will be honoured at the forthcoming festival.